# Montana HB 398: Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions Montana HB 398, Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Jonathan Karlen (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB398-2025 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 398 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-05 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Jonathan Karlen (Democrat) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Health Care Services, Insurance, Professions and Occupations Generally, Revenue, State - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (273 yes, 21 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Longer prior approvals, including chronic care: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, prior authorizations last at least 6 months from when your provider gets them. They can be shorter only if you lose coverage or if FDA or other safety guidance requires less time. For chronic conditions, approvals last 12 months, with the same FDA or safety and loss-of-co… - Stronger rules for who can deny care: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, only the right clinicians can deny care. If a physician requested the service, a physician must decide the denial. If another licensed provider requested it, a reviewer licensed in that same profession must decide, or a physician may decide. Any reviewer who denies care m… - All changes start January 1, 2026: benefit, low. All these rules take effect January 1, 2026. Plans, reviewers, providers, and covered people follow them from that date. - Care stays approved when you switch plans: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, if you change health plans, your new insurer must honor your prior authorization for at least the first 3 months once you or your provider send proof, and only if the service is covered under the new plan. If you switch to a different product from the same insurer, your p… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jonathan Karlen (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Willis Curdy (Democrat), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 47 | 1 | | | 2025-04-09 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 45 | 3 | | | 2025-03-20 | House | Do Pass | pass | 90 | 8 | | | 2025-03-19 | House | Do Pass | pass | 91 | 9 | | ## Actions (29) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-22: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-18: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-11: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-10: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-10: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-09: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-24: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-21: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-03-20: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-19: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-27: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-27: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-20: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-12: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-11: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-11: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-10: Rereferred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-07: Hearing Canceled (House) - 2025-02-06: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-06: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-05: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-05: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=123725ed-5fc9-4ce0-bd66-b6590824c08f) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-27: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=38d6b196-94c2-452b-9083-eecdd73a42f7) - Introduced, 2025-02-05: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bca6c2a4-7377-4979-92ae-7c94935e3ede) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=123725ed-5fc9-4ce0-bd66-b6590824c08f) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=38d6b196-94c2-452b-9083-eecdd73a42f7) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bca6c2a4-7377-4979-92ae-7c94935e3ede) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB398-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).