Montana seeking prior authorization for Medicaid abortions

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — State officials in Republican-controlled Montana want to require prior authorization before its health department pays for abortions for people covered by Medicaid. Critics say the proposed rule change would reduce access and delay or even prevent abortion care for low-income women. The Department of Public Health and Human Services is taking public comment Thursday (Jan. 12, 2023) on the proposed rule, which would also eliminate physician assistants and nurse practitioners from providing abortion care to Medicaid patients. The agency says a review of abortions over the past decade leads it to believe it was paying for elective abortions, in part because providers weren’t adequately explaining the reason for an abortion.