Federal funding to help Wilderness Health, Senator Smith hears more from providers

Wilderness Health has received $108,000 to help with workforce development.

Some of the providers who are part of the nine-member health care group met with Senator Tina Smith on Monday at St. Luke’s.

The money was awarded as part of the Congressionally Directed Spending program.

It will help Wilderness really connect more students with rural hospitals during their training.

“Bringing them to rural settings is really key to recruiting them there in the future,” explained Cassandra Beardsley, the Executive Director.

Smith also heard about other challenges, like providers who are having to spend so much time on phone fighting to get insurance to cover procedures for their patients. And the reimbursement rate being lower than the actual cost of care.

Her office said she serves on the Senate Health Committee, and her bill the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act was passed into law earlier this year.