TEXAS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER APPLIES FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RURAL HOSPITALS
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced he has applied for a small hospital improvement plan (SHIP) federal grant, which will provide $90,000 to every rural hospital in the state.
Miller, who is also the Commissioner of the State Office of Rural Health Care, said Thursday the money is intended to help hospitals mitigate costs and falling revenues, as well as prevent them from closing. He said many of the 163 rural hospitals in the state were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic, but now they cannot perform elective surgeries or treat sports injuries.
The funding, according to Miller, is expected to arrive April 22nd and should be sent out to hospitals the same day or soon afterwards.
Miller made the announcement while hand-delivering supplies to the Burleson CHI St. Joseph Health Center in Caldwell. Miller gave boxes of hand sanitizer provided by the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. The Burleson County Office of Emergency Management was also on hand Thursday, delivering gloves, masks, and face shields.
According to emergency management officials, there are eight confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Burleson County as of Thursday, with one case recovered.