For a better doctor/patient relationship
With SB 101, lawmakers have an opportunity to permanently authorize DPC and help drive down the cost of healthcare for Montanans.
On Wednesday, the Frontier Institute went to the capitol to support SB 101, a bill from Sen. Cary Smith of Billings that follows our recommendations to permanently authorize Direct Primary Care (DPC) by creating a definition for DPC in state law.
You can find our statement supporting SB 101 on our website, alongside inspiring testimony from numerous patients and doctors from across Montana in support of DPC.
Here are just some of the highlights:
- Cara Harrop of Purehealth DPC in Polson: “Improving health outcomes (and thus lowering costs) starts with a genuine relationship between a patient and a primary care provider. Direct primary care is a sustainable model for both patients and providers to spend their energy and resources on actually changing behaviors that affect health outcomes.”
- Brandon Bilyeu of Ascension DPC in Helena: “The Direct Care model allows more time with each patient, thus allowing a trusting relationship to form and creating the opportunity for providers to fully utilize all of their education and training. This leads to better health care for patients and decreased burnout for providers. I can think of nothing better than Direct Care to confront the challenge of Montana’s primary care provider shortage.”
- Roger, a DPC Patient from Flathead County: “DPC affords superior health care versus traditional insurance coverage. We’ve developed a personal relationship with our doctor and are never treated as just another number. Freedom of choice is more critical now than ever before and I strongly urge that our Legislators support the passage of SB 101.”
I feel truly honored for the Frontier Institute to be standing alongside so many Montana patients and doctors who have benefited from the DPC. With SB 101, lawmakers have an opportunity to permanently authorize DPC and help drive down the cost of healthcare for Montanans.
For Liberty,
Kendall Cotton
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The Latest
With the legislature now in full swing, here are a few more bills keep your eye on:
- SB 77 from Sen. Tom McGillvray is an insightful bill up in committee last week that would place limits on the growth of local government spending.
Our Take:
Local spending growth, especially in special districts, is a large driver of sky-high property taxes that impact so many Montanans. Placing limits on this spending would make sure that government is keeping within the bounds of taxpayers’ ability to pay for it and create room for much needed property tax relief.
- HB 134 from Rep. Danny Tenenbaum would prevent local governments from imposing restrictions to block higher density residential development.
Our Take:
So many people talk about problems with housing affordability, but very few offer public policy solutions that don’t just spend more taxpayer money. That’s why I’m glad to see Rep. Tenebaum bringing HB 134, which will remove government restrictions that limit our housing supply. Allowing housing supply to catch up to demand will help drive down costs.
ICYMI – The Frontier Institute now contributes a bi-monthly opinion column to Lee Newspapers. Catch our columns in the paper every other Sunday. Our first column talked about the need for expanded privacy protections in Montana law. Check it out!