Tester is a champion for rural healthcare

For 17 years I worked as a home health nurse, caring for a lot of farmers and ranchers. These were incredibly dedicated people whose hard work took a toll on their bodies and were grateful for the help we could provide. I cared for them on their farms and ranches, often in rural areas nowhere near hospitals or clinics.

These rural areas needed and appreciated that health care, and it’s absolutely critical to continue providing it to make sure Montanans can live happy and healthy lives.

Jon Tester has always been a champion for rural health care. During the pandemic he made sure Critical Access Hospitals received resources to stay open and continue providing care. He also ensured rural hospitals were included in the Paycheck Protection Program, to help medical staff in our rural communities continue to get paid.

Tim Sheehy wants to take that away. He has called to fully privatize our health care system. This would shutter rural hospitals across the state, including St. Joseph Medical Center here in Polson and St. Luke Hospital in Ronan.

Patients would have to drive to Missoula or Kalispell to get routine checkups or emergency care. By privatizing health care, these hospitals would lose funding and many Montanans would be at risk of losing care.

When it comes to my health care and my community’s health care, I don’t want to gamble. Vote for Jon Tester to ensure our rural hospitals continue to have an advocate in the Senate.

– Carol Werner, Ronan