Senate Bill No. introduced by C. Pope aims to revise Medicaid laws in Montana to address and reduce or eliminate waiting lists for covered services. The bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to implement various initiatives, including applying for Medicaid waivers, recalculating reimbursement rates, and providing add-on rates for services with waiting lists. The focus will be on prioritizing the reduction of waiting lists for senior and long-term care, behavioral health, dental services, family education and support services, and home-based and community-based services under the developmental disabilities program's Medicaid waiver.

Additionally, the bill establishes reporting requirements, requiring the department to provide an annual report to the legislature detailing the status of waiting lists, ongoing efforts to address them, and expected timelines for their elimination. The bill also defines "waiting list" as individuals enrolled or presumptively enrolled in the Medicaid program who are eligible for services but cannot access them within 90 days due to funding or supply issues. This new section is intended to be codified as part of Title 53, chapter 6 of Montana law.