Baucus Announces Boost to Eastern Montana Rural Health Infrastructure

Press Release

Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus announced an important step toward improving health care for rural Montanans. The more than $295,000 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant will help the Billings Clinic Foundation purchase telemedicine equipment to serve more than a dozen rural and frontier communities across eastern Montana.

Baucus says the grant will support health infrastructure in communities like Sidney, Baker, Culbertson, Glendive, Terry and Miles City- areas where he has issued his ongoing Call to Action in the Bakken.

"As we see more pressure on energy-impacted communities throughout the Bakken region, smart investments like this will help save Montanans travel time and costs for many common conditions. Because many of our rural counties only have one primary care physician, it's important to make sure we have a robust telemedicine infrastructure to make sure rural Montanans have access to the best health care possible," said Baucus, who is currently working to pass the next Farm Bill which authorizes funding for USDA rural development programs. "Grants like this one are a lifeline to rural America, which is why it's so important to pass the Farm Bill."

Today's announcement follows up on several key developments Baucus has fought for to support energy-impacted communities in Montana's Bakken region.

Billings Clinic Foundation, $295, 117
Communities will provide $52,080 in matching funds for a project total of $347, 197.
The project will support primary and specialty care in Dermatology, Allergy Care and Earn, Nose and Throat care.
These areas have previously not been available to these rural communities. The project will enable patients to receive care and treatment closer to home.

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