Following a request from Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced it will award $30 billion to nearly 320,000 health care providers nationwide, including more than $110 million to nearly 1,500 providers in Montana.
“As our nation and state confront the COVID-19 outbreak, Montana health care providers, including our hospitals and health centers, need resources to keep their doors open, treat patients, and protect our communities,” Gianforte said. “I appreciate HHS acting swiftly to provide relief to our providers. The funding announced today will begin to help them fulfill their mission to advance the public health and keep us healthy and safe.”
The funds will provide relief to providers that are struggling financially since many have stopped performing elective procedures and seeing non-urgent patients amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Gianforte voted for and President Trump signed into law on March 27, provides $100 billion in relief funding to health care providers. The $30 billion HHS announced today represents the first phase of funding.
The initial funds include $111,503,208 for 1,469 Montana providers.
Along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, Gianforte urged HHS to provide resources to rural providers, including health centers and hospitals. Gianforte will continue working to ensure rural providers have the resources they need amid this public health crisis.
More information about HHS’s initial round of funding may be found HERE.
Bitterrootter says
Star Folks,
Please be careful not to let yourselves be played by campaigns. This story makes it seem like Gianforte was key to this money being distributed to MT. It could just as accurately said that Bernie Sanders was responsible for the funds. There were dozens of co-signers on the letter to Azar. As far as I can tell Gianforte played no special role beyond signing a letter. This is a low bar.
This follows on a press release in the Star yesterday with Daines claiming credit for HHS funds given to the state. I appreciate that that story has now been rewritten in a more accurate way.
Thank you
Mike Miller says
Wow.
Based on several recent articles in this paper, all three of our federally elected representatives have been doing their jobs and been successful in getting some help for us to fight this virus. Good; it’s what they were ALL elected to do, by us, regardless of ‘party’!
Yet… you’re complaining about the Republican representatives being involved in this. You’re literally complaining that the Republican representatives are doing what they were elected to.
Could you be more selfish, petty, angry and ignorant?
As a side note, I didn’t see anything about what Bernie Sanders did for Montana, regardless of the height of the bar you’re so concerned about.
Bitterrootter says
Mike,
Sorry this struck a nerve with you. I have a general problem with politicians of any party taking credit for something they were tangential to (or inconsequential to).
This was simply a bill passed by congress and signed by the president. Gianforte added his name to a very long list of congressfolk requesting Azar allocate the funds. I assume you looked through that list and saw that Bernie Sanders was also a signatory.
Just saying that the framing of the lede to this story “money was allocated to MT following a request from Gianforte” implies some special power on the part of Greg in this process.
He just voted for a bill and signed a letter along with many many others. This was not a heavy political lift. This was grabbing credit for something that would have happened if he had slept through it all.
That is all I am saying.
Mike Miller says
Bitterrooter,
You state “I have a general problem with politicians of any party taking credit for something they were tangential to (or inconsequential to).”
Yet, you didn’t mention Democrat Tester at all, even though he’s done the same thing. Hmm.
I did see that about Sanders (and all the others no matter their party/state doing their elected job), but the fact is he is not an elected representative for Montana, so you bringing him into this is simply a straw man argument. However, I see you’re not bashing him for doing the same thing you accuse Gianforte and Daines of.
In times of national crisis when we should be working together, you certainly are not showing yourself to be the better person. You make it clear you wish to remain biased, petty and selfish. THAT’S what you’re saying.