Topic

Health

Covering health policy, public health, and medical developments across Montana. This archive includes reporting on healthcare policy, community health issues, and statewide health initiatives. Coverage of Montana’s COVID-19 response is also included.

MacKenzie: Healthcare Denied in Flathead—And Nationwide

Kalispell man refused medical care and kidney transplant for not submitting to testing and vaccination. Logan Health refused lab tests without COVID test.

Lower Student COVID Rate in Mask Optional Schools, Billings Mask Lawsuit, State Data Shows

UPDATED (1/6/2022): Post updated to include letter from Billings teachers union president Douglas Robison discouraging educators from contributing statements to the lawsuit regarding the negative effects of masks on students. Parents in Billings and the non-profit Stand Up Montana filed their 200-page mask lawsuit against Billings Public Schools and Elysian Schools at the end of…

Over 500 Montanans Sign “Vote of Confidence” Letter Supporting State Superintendent

Over 500 Montana signatories including school board trustees from Flathead, Lincoln, Missoula, and Ravalli counties and two-dozen elected officials have signed on to a “Vote of Confidence” letter supporting Montana’s head of schools, State Superintendent of Instruction Elsie Arntzen. “We write to refute the unauthorized “no-confidence” letter recently sent to you by certain school superintendents…

UPDATED: Federal Judge Grants Montana’s Request For Injunction On CMS Vaccine Mandate, Benefis Insists on Jab

Montana healthcare workers are protected under HB-702 which adds vaccination status as a protected class.

PHOTOS: Statewide Rallies Against Vaccine Mandates Draw Over a Thousand Across Montana

Update (11/30/2021): A federal judge has blocked CMS vaccine mandates for healthcare workers. Yesterday, over a thousand Montanans showed up for statewide rallies against vaccine mandates imposed on healthcare workers by the Biden Administration. Demonstrators attended rallies in Billings, Bozeman, Glendive, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, Missoula, and Sydney at 2:00pm in highly…

Missoula Healthcare Workers Join Statewide Protests Against Vaccine Mandates Nov 28th in 10 Montana Cities

Statewide protests against vaccine mandates set for November 28th at 2PM.

Per MT Law, Vaccinating Children Without Parental Consent Can Result in Civil Liability or Criminal Prosecution

This past Saturday, Lewis and Clark Public Health Department advertised a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at East Helena Public High School aimed at children aged 5-11-years-old. The ad indicated that proof of the child’s name and age was not required and children need only be accompanied by a “caregiver.” How do government employees at a clinic…

Community Hospital To Fire Unvaccinated Workers Despite Losing 26% of Beds Since September

Many nurses and healthcare workers have been seeing the writing on the wall for months now. Hospitals across the United States have been sending notices to their workers, pressuring them to get vaccinated. On Veteran’s Day, Missoula’s Community Medical Center went a step further and told workers that they need to either get vaccinated or…

University of Montana Unlawfully Discriminates Against Unvaccinated Athletes Requiring Masks and Testing

The UM Athletics Department appears to believe NCAA “recommendations” supersede Montana State Law.

Missoulian Reporter Hansen Solicits Only Positive Feedback for Puff Piece on Child Vaccines

Missoulian reporter Jordan Hansen filed a report Tuesday stating that “all” parents, doctors, and health officials were “excited” to get 5-11-year-olds vaccinated after soliciting feedback only from parents who planned to vaccinate their children. On November 3rd, Hansen took to Twitter requesting interviews with parents who were, “looking to get their kids vaxxed [sic] with…

Pfizer Vaccine Creates 164 Myocarditis Cases in Boys For Every 189 COVID-19 Hospital Stays Prevented

In one scenario, for every 21 hospitalizations of COVID-19 prevented, 179 boys will develop a case of myocarditis, 98 boys would be hospitalized, and 57 boys would be admitted to ICU’s.

Missoula Schools: Masks Stay Until Children Vaccinated

The Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees met last night to make decisions regarding mask mandates including the terms required to be fulfilled before the school board will allow children to be unmasked. The “COVID-19 Task Force” subcommittee, appointed by the board of the trustees, recommends lifting the mask mandate after the following requirements…

Passing the Buck on Responsibility

“Lawyers are a useful tool. When you feel like you are in a bind, talking to the right lawyer can be such a breath of fresh air. It can be a conversation from which you walk away saying “Phew! I have options I didn’t even realize I had.” Life feels better with options. Life can…

How Many Pumpkins Does It Take To Disappear a Homeless Camper From Cedar Street?

At $10 dollars a piece, it would take 10 pumpkins to make one homeless person disappear from Cedar Street.

Judge Marks Denies Halt to School Masks, Parents to Consider Appeal to Supreme Court

District Court Judge Jason Marks denied parents request for injunctive relief against Missoula County Public School mask mandates on Friday, issuing a 16-page order that said the parents did not provide sufficient evidence that rights to privacy or dignity were being violated. Judge Marks also said that injunctive relief was denied because parents did not…

Oral Arguments Heard in Parents Mask Lawsuit Against Missoula Schools

Missoula County Court Room 4 was at capacity with families and students this morning for oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by parents against mask mandates from Missoula County schools. Judge Jason Marks allowed extra time for the burgeoning crowd in the lobby overflow area to pull up the Zoom meeting link on their phones.…

Montana Democrats Share Photo of “Freezer Morgue” That’s Actually A Mobile MRI Unit, Hospital Says

Former Lt. Governor Mike Cooney, Senator Ellie Boldman, and Helena Commissioner Emily Dean spread misinformation about a mobile MRI trailer being a portable COVID “freezer morgue”

St. Pat’s and Montana Hospitals Sue to Force COVID Vaccine on Workers

While other states see workers suing their employers over forced vaccinations, Montanan’s have been protected by HB-702, passed by Republicans in the most recent legislative session. HB-702 prohibits discrimination based on a persons vaccination status or possession of an immunity passport. Employers, government agencies, and public accommodations cannot require vaccination status as a barrier to…