Cortez Masto visits Grover C Dils, discusses her work to support rural hospitals

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) visited the Grover C. Dils Medical Center in Caliente on Wednesday, Aug. 13 to meet with CEO and Administrator Melissa Rowe, Dr. R. William Katschke, Jr. and Lincoln County Commissioner Diane Path. 

Cortez Masto discussed her work to support Nevada’s rural hospitals.

“No matter which corner of our state a Nevadan calls home, they should have easy access to high-quality, affordable health care,” said Cortez Masto. “The Grover C. Dils Medical Center is the backbone of community health in Lincoln County, and I was glad to visit the Center again to discuss how I can continue to support its work from the Senate.”

Grover C. Dils CEO and Administrator Melissa “Missie” Rowe expressed appreciation for the senator’s support. 

“Senator Cortez Masto has been instrumental in helping our facility secure federal funding for the construction of a new outpatient clinic and physical therapy office,” Rowe stated. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with her and her team as we work toward securing additional funding to one day build a new hospital for the residents of Lincoln County and the many visitors to our great community. I am deeply grateful for her unwavering support and continued outreach on behalf of our hospital.”

In a press release, Cortez Masto cited her support of critical funding to the hospital through two Community Project Grants to support a new, state-of-the-art clinic in Caliente. With her More Opportunities for Rural Economies (MORE) Grants Package, the senator said she is pushing to increase rural counties’ access to grant funding, including for health care facilities like the Grover C. Dils. She also cited her strong opposition to the recently-passed Republican tax bill, which the press release claimed “threatens rural hospitals by cutting Medicaid funding that is vital for sustaining lifesaving care in these communities.”

Cortez Masto recently reintroduced legislation that would ensure that communities in rural and underserved areas have access to vital emergency and non-emergency ground ambulance services, the press release stated. She has also introduced legislation to protect Americans’ access to telehealth services. She supports increasing access to behavioral health care across the country and has introduced bipartisan legislation to improve health care in Indian Country.