Over the last month, Senator Tester’s campaign has placed full page ads in several local newspapers accusing Tim Sheehy of planning to close 49 hospitals in Montana. The ad then lists 49 medical centers, including Billings Clinic Broadwater and Beartooth Billings Clinic. However, the ad has been disavowed by a group of 37 healthcare professionals, as well as by the Central Montana Medical Center.
In a post on Facebook on Wednesday, September 11, the Central Montana Medical Center, whose name was featured in the ad, stated “CMMC is NOT closing & did not run or endorse the ad campaign being run currently in our local paper.” They state that the ads were “not coordinated with nor endorsed by the hospitals named in the ad.”
In a letter penned by 37 Montana healthcare workers, Tester is called out for “falsely accusing Tim Sheehy of threatening rural hospitals” and “misleading the patients we serve.” They “condemn the ads, referring to them as “absolute lies”. They then commend Sheehy for his prior philanthropy related to the healthcare field, and close by stating that “[they] trust Tim Sheehy to ensure we can continue to deliver the critical health care services our communities depend upon.
Tim Sheehy released the following statement in response:
“Jon Tester is a top recipient of Big Pharma cash and has talked for 18 years about ‘fighting for you’ while health care costs only go up and access goes down. He spreads fear and lies about my record rather than talk about his failed record. That should tell Montanans everything we need to know. It’s time to reinvigorate local healthcare, and as your Senator, I will protect rural hospitals and focus on increasing access, lowering cots, and ensuring Montanans have access to good, reliable health care. That’s my promise to you.”
When YCN reached out for a comment from Tester’s press team, the Senator stood by his ad. A spokesperson for his campaign released this statement:
“Tim Sheehy can’t hide from his calls to completely privatize health care, saying: ‘Our hospitals have been built around federal healthcare subsidies. In my opinion we need to return health care to pure privatization.’ Folks in rural Montana know that his plan would eliminate Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for rural hospitals, close doors for health care providers, and devastate communities across our state. Montanans have every right to be worried about Sheehy’s positions.”
The co-signers of the letter include:
Alice Kmetz, registered nurse, Miles City
Becky Mummey, registered nurse, Billings
Breck Howard, radiologist, St. Ignatius
Brooke Wagner, MT-BC, Billings
Cassie Wenckus, registered nurse, Great Falls
Catherine Dewitt, registered nurse, Thompson Falls
Denise Jimmerson, registered nurse, Lewistown
Donna Upham, registered nurse, Loma
Elaine Dodge, former registered nurse, Livingston
Jennifer Sofie, DNP and nurse practitioner, Manhattan
Jodee Etchart, State Representative HD 48 and physician assistant, Billings
Julie Wilcox, medical records, Livingston
Karen Lippert, retired BSRN, Fort Benton
Kendi Wenger, registered nurse, Loma
Lance Loving, hospital I.T. professional, Lewistown
Laurie Ray, registered nurse, Lewistown
Liz Howell, LPN, EMT, Lewistown
Mark Templeton, MD, Billings
Marla Davis, physical therapist, Bozeman
Matt Bailey, MD, orthopedic surgeon, Whitefish
Michael Piper, former hospital administrator, Anaconda
Michelle Danreuther, retired registered nurse, Loma
Mitch Gallagher, MD, Billings
Nancy Gerdrum, registered nurse, Lewistown
Neal Sorensen, MD, FACP, Billings
Pam Purinton, RN-BSN, Billings
Pamela Longmire, dementia practitioner, Helena
Patty Jo Danreuther, registered nurse, Loma
Paul Piper, former hospital administrator, Anaconda
Paula Witt, former registered nurse, Fort Benton
Peggy O’Neill, registered nurse, Livingston
Rob Brandt, White Sulphur Springs
Shay Wagner, registered nurse, Missoula
Susie Wilber, registered nurse, Lewistown
Tana Steiner, registered nurse, Bozeman
Tara Hudson, certified medical assistant, Missoula
Tim Richards, retired physician, MD FACS, Missoula
