Expanding Medicaid plan divides Hi-Line lawmakers

The Hi-Line delegation to the Montana Legislature Tuesday night held a relatively low-keyed session discussing activities of the recently concluded session.

On most issues, there was a partisan divide, with the three Democrats at odds with the two Republicans.

But when the issue of the state expanding the Medicaid program to cover health care needs of 70,000 uninsured Montanans was brought up, the rift became more sharp.

An audience member took Republicans to task for their failure to support the idea strongly backed by Gov. Steve Bullock. The federal government would pay 100 percent of the...