Assisted Living in Montana

In Montana, assisted living communities provide long-term housing and care for generally active seniors. The median cost of assisted living in Montana is around $5,000 per month or $60,000 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data from its brand partners in the state. With Big Sky Country’s diverse landscapes, plentiful outdoor activities, and rural lifestyle, Montana’s assisted living communities can be a great fit for seniors looking for a convenient and relaxed pace of life.

The median monthly cost of assisted living in Montana is around $5,000, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data from its brand partners. This figure is about on par with the national median monthly cost of assisted living across the country at $4,807.

When looking at the cost of senior living, it’s a good idea to look at median costs instead of average costs. This is because median costs normally aren’t influenced by extreme values, such as luxury communities with tons of amenities or simple, budget-friendly communities. That said, prices vary in Montana, with the lower 10th percentile monthly cost landing at approximately $3,100, while the 90th percentile monthly cost is around $7,500 per month.

The cost of assisted living varies depending on many factors. Typically, pricing also takes into account the level of care required by a resident. Other factors may include the following:

• A community’s location
• Size of rooms
• Floor plans
• Services provided by the community
• A community’s amenities

Assisted living communities in Montana tend to cost more in larger towns, such as Billings or Helena, than in smaller cities and surrounding rural areas. It may feel like sticker shock when looking at the prices of assisted living in Montana. But while these costs may seem expensive, some Montanans may qualify for Medicaid or Medicare to help pay for assisted living. These programs can reduce the cost of assisted living by covering some qualified care services for eligible participants.

It’s vital to plan ahead and be prepared for assisted living costs. Your loved one may be able to use both private and public pay options to cover long-term assisted living costs. In the sections below, you’ll learn about the different ways seniors typically pay for assisted living costs in Montana. You can discover even more about payment options for assisted living by visiting our complete guide to paying for long-term care.

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) provides licensure and oversight for assisted living in Montana. Facilities typically have to meet state requirements outlined in Montana’s Assisted Living Rules and Regulations to be licensed in this state. DPHHS typically conducts inspections of assisted living facilities. You may be able to learn more about a specific community’s inspection report by contacting the Inspector General at 1-406-444-4120.

In Montana, these regulations outline the rights of residents of assisted living communities. These rights, as outlined in the document above, include but are not limited to the following:

• The right of the resident to execute a living will or advance health care directive
• The right of the resident to make decisions regarding their medical treatment
• The right of the resident to be presented with a copy of the Montana Long-Term Care Residents’ Bill of Rights

These same regulations outline who qualifies to work at an assisted living facility and how they should be trained. As per the regulations, staff generally must meet the following requirements:

• Complete appropriate new employee orientation and training related to their job.
• Submit to a name-based or other background check.
• Have an understanding of basic first aid.

If you’re looking for specific qualifications in your loved one’s caregivers, you should ask prospective communities what type of certifications staff members hold and how they train their staff on an ongoing basis.

State licensing in Montana

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and we compiled tips to help you in your search.

States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.

Access to Montana assisted living records: High

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Montana is high. A key finding that informed this rating is that Montana recently updated their state database to include detailed information about adult care providers.

How to look up Montana assisted living licenses and records

• You can visit the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator to locate the appropriate long-term-care ombudsman in your area. The long-term care ombudsman can often provide specific information and records on local assisted living communities.
• If you need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to get records, consider browsing the state-by-state resources from the National Freedom of Information Coalition (FOIC), which includes sample state-specific FOIA letters.

How we arrived at our Montana rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? N/A
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently? (within 90 days) No or N/A
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No or N/A
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? No
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? No
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? Yes
12. Can the state fine a facility? No
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No