COMMISSIONER MILLER HAS REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO ASSIST RURAL TEXAS HOSPITALS (3/20/2020)

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has requested emergency funding for rural Texas hospitals from Texas Governor Greg Abbott as COVID-19 continues to impact the state. In a letter to Governor Abbott, Commissioner Miller emphasized the importance of preparing rural Texas hospitals for the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency funding will ease the financial impact caused by the local healthcare response to the virus and keep the doors open for the community.  Rural hospitals are often the only critical care option for Texans in these communities.

“Rural Texans can’t afford to lose their hospitals right now,” Commissioner Miller said. “We need to get emergency assistance to our rural hospitals along with equipment to keep these communities safe. A lot of folks in rural Texas dedicate their livelihood to help keep the nation fed and clothed.  Rural hospitals are an essential industry in times like this.”

TDA’s State Office of Rural Health is dedicated to serving the health needs of rural Texas. SORH staff work with local health care providers, county leaders and state partners to support access to quality health care for rural Texans. Additionally, SORH works to assist rural health providers through a variety of programs including information and referral, assistance with medical license applications, grants and educational awards that are available to individual clinicians, health care institutions and other organizations.

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