The expenses include essential daily-use items that insurance may not fully cover. Juanita Panlener, national resource center manager with the Spina Bifida Association, said this creates a significant strain for families.

"Sometimes families with children with Spina Bifida will struggle to pay for catheters or orthotics," said Panlener, "so, items like braces – or sometimes even wheelchairs."

Panlener noted that coverage challenges depend on the type of insurance and state of residence. She said calls for help to her organization most often involve items critical for children to thrive at school and in the community.

For families in these situations, the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation offers grants to pay for medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a commercial insurance plan. Scott Otto, the foundation's assistant executive director, said the grants are available to anyone with commercial insurance, not just UnitedHealthcare policyholders.

"Each family may have two or three or more kids, so each of those children are independently eligible to apply, each year, year over year, up to that $5,000 amount and up to a $10,000 lifetime," said Otto. "So, it's not uncommon for us to help families for each of those children, and over multiple years."

Otto said they can help cover things like equipment, therapies, surgeries and prescriptions. In the past 20 years, the foundation has awarded grants to families of more than 40,000 children nationwide, totaling over $80 million.

UnitedHealthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on health care.

Social Security is the primary income source for more than 96,000 Montanans. While a higher cost-of-living adjustment is expected in 2026, AARP Montana State Director Tim Summers said the program faces a significant funding threat that requires congressional action.

"Social Security has obviously survived for 90 years, and it’s an amazing program, and it has served millions of Americans and given them the ability to retire with dignity," he said. "In the next 10 years – about nine years, actually – Social Security will face a funding shortfall."

According to AARP data, Social Security keeps about 64,000 Montanans from slipping into poverty each year. Without benefits, the level of poverty among seniors in the state would more than triple.

Beyond long-term funding, Summers said older Montanans already face some direct threats, with fraudsters specifically targeting vulnerable populations in rural and reservation communities.

"One issue that we find particularly difficult for our rural members and the 50-plus living on reservations is fraud," he said. "Fraud is increasing; the fraudsters are becoming more and more savvy."

He said AARP Montana is advocating for property-tax relief and fraud-prevention education, emphasizing that scammers are increasingly targeting people on fixed incomes.