Tester Secures More Than $1.5 Million in Pandemic Relief for Billings Clinic

Funding to reimburse hospital for costs associated with COVID-19 Pandemic

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced the Billings Clinic will receive $1,536,850 in emergency relief funding from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to reimburse the hospital for costs associated with responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1,536,850 helped Billings Clinic hire contract doctors nurses and other essential medical staff while the hospital was overwhelmed with patients, as well as add additional hospital beds and a community testing site.

“Montana health care professionals have continued to answer the call throughout this pandemic, and it’s critical that they have the necessary resources to keep saving lives,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding that will ensure the Billings Clinic has the tools they need to keep fighting COVID-19 and continue serving our state with an exemplary standard of care.”

The FEMA funding is available through the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act which Tester helped fund through his role on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and is funded through a 100 percent federal cost share during the pandemic. In May, Tester also secured nearly $2 million for the Billings Clinic.

Tester has worked tirelessly to get Montana communities the resources they need to get their local economies back on track amid coronavirus pandemic. He was the only member of the Montana delegation to support the American Rescue Plan after fighting to ensure that it provides targeted funding to the state’s local economies by directly providing small businesses and municipal governments with critical relief.