# Montana HB 544: Generally revise health insurance laws relating to health utilization review

Montana HB 544, Generally revise health insurance laws relating to health utilization review, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Ed Buttrey (Republican); 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-HB544-2025
- 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 544
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise health insurance laws relating to health utilization review
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-18
- Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Ed Buttrey (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Health, Insurance
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (269 yes, 25 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Insurers can’t take back approved care: benefit, high. When your plan requires prior approval and you get it, the insurer must honor it after you receive the service. They cannot take back that approval after care. Exceptions are fraud or misrepresentation, nonpayment of premium, benefits already used up, you were not covered at the time, or the servic…
- Faster approval for minors’ biologic drugs: benefit, medium. Doctors can prescribe some biologic drugs for people under 18 when all conditions are met. The drug must be FDA-approved for adults, medically necessary, covered by the plan, and supported by at least two peer‑reviewed journals showing safe, effective use across infancy (birth–2), childhood (2–12),…
- New plan rules start January 2026: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the law applies to health plans issued or renewed on or after that date. If your current policy is still in force, the old rules apply until your renewal. After renewal, the new coverage and prior‑authorization protections apply to your plan.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Ed Buttrey (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeremy Trebas (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-09 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | House | Do Pass | pass | 88 | 11 |   |
| 2025-03-03 | House | Do Pass | pass | 85 | 14 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 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)
- 2025-03-25: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-03-04: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-03: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-24: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Printed (House)
- 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Signed (House)
- 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Received (House)
- 2025-02-24: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-02-20: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-19: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-18: Fiscal Note Requested (House)
- 2025-02-18: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=7bc58ecb-9a76-434d-9312-fb3237100910)
- Introduced, 2025-02-18: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b13d1434-4445-44be-942b-455b47a2fb10)

## 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=7bc58ecb-9a76-434d-9312-fb3237100910)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b13d1434-4445-44be-942b-455b47a2fb10)

## 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-HB544-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).