Rural ambulance funding program in jeopardy A program aimed at keeping Montana’s rural ambulance services financially afloat is in jeopardy after federal health officials said the state cannot implement it. A provision in the “Big Beautiful Bill” prohibits states from creating new provider taxes to obtain additional federal funding. Existing provider taxes, however, are allowed to remain in place. State

Out-of-state providers target Native people in $55M insurance scheme According to an announcement from State Auditor James Brown, out-of-state substance use treatment facilities have been carrying out a deceptive scheme targeting Native people in Montana, resulting in up to $55 million in fraudulent health insurance claims. PacificSource alerted the state auditor’s office in January 2025 about the suspected fraud. Montana

Rocky Mountain Grid Monitored as Jan. 20 Solar Storm Arrives A severe geomagnetic storm in effect today is expected to reach Earth as Arctic cold spreads into the Rocky Mountains, prompting increased monitoring of power systems and other critical infrastructure across high-elevation and rural regions. The G4 storm watch includes Montana, where cold temperatures, mountainous terrain, and wide geographic spacing

Bison Grazing Rejected The U.S. Department of the Interior is revoking seven grazing permits in Phillips County. The decision directly impacts the American Prairie Reserve, which had been acquiring the permits to graze its herd of bison. The 1934 Taylor Grazing Act requires that grazing on publicly owned federal lands be “limited to cases where the animals to be grazed

Montana reports $84.1 million in hunting and fishing license tax revenue in 2024 According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections, Montana generated $4.7 billion in tax revenue in 2024. Of that total, $84.1 million came from hunting and fishing license taxes. The Census Bureau notes that state and local governments collect a wide range