This bill establishes a Medicaid reimbursement conversion factor specifically for services provided by physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists. For the state fiscal year 2026, the conversion factor is set at $39.56, with provisions allowing the department to adjust this factor in subsequent years based on the consumer price index for medical care. The bill also amends Section 53-6-124 of the Montana Code Annotated to include definitions relevant to these healthcare providers, ensuring clarity in the reimbursement process.

Key amendments to the definitions include the addition of "physical therapist," "speech-language pathologist," and "occupational therapist" to the existing legal framework, which previously only referenced physicians. The term "conversion factor" is expanded to encompass these additional service providers, and the definition of "policy adjuster" is updated to reflect the new reimbursement structure. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to enhance the Medicaid reimbursement process for these essential healthcare services.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 53-6-124
HB0585_1(1): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(2): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(3): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(4): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(5): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(6): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(7): 53-6-124
HB0585_1(8): 53-6-124
HB0585_1: 53-6-124
HB0585_2(1): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(10): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(11): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(12): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(13): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(14): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(15): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(16): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(17): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(2): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(3): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(4): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(5): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(6): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(7): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(8): 53-6-124
HB0585_2(9): 53-6-124
HB0585_2: 53-6-124
HB0585_X(1): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(10): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(11): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(12): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(13): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(14): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(15): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(16): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(17): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(2): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(3): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(4): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(5): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(6): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(7): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(8): 53-6-124
HB0585_X(9): 53-6-124
HB0585_X: 53-6-124