Southeast Montana News

State emergency loans are being distributed to three Montana health care centers, each receiving a total of $1.4 million.

Short-term, low-interest emergency loans, which can be up to $500,000, are being given to McCone County Health, Glendive Medical Center, and Alluvion Health, according to Montana Public Radio. 

McCone County Health is a frontier critical care hospital and clinic in Circle, Montana. Glendive Medical Center is also a critical care hospital and is located in east-central Montana and western North Dakota. Alluvion Health is a community health center in Great Falls. 

Two more health centers are expected to receive funding, according to MTPR. But the funding for Roosevelt Medical Center in Culbertson and Granite County Medical Center in Philipsburg are still processing. 

The Montana Facility Finance Authority is making the loans available for the health centers, according to Montana Public Radio. The funding will be used to "keep the doors open and essential health care workers paid at facilities across Montana," the executive director of the Montana Facility Finance Authority told the radio station. 

Loans like this will help the hospitals and health centers that are reporting no cash on hand or operating fund available. The Montana Department of Commerce told Montana Public Radio that several healthcare facilities are reporting no available cash on hand. These facilities are pushing back non-essential operations to focus on patients with COVID-19, the station said. 

Marias Healthcare Service in Shelby and Sapphire Community Health in Hamilton, Montana, also received funding. Both were awarded $600,000 each for operating funds from the federal government, Montana Public Radio reports. 

Over a dozen other healthcare centers and hospitals in Montana have received federal funding earlier this month through the CARES Act, according to the Montana Public Radio.