Three hospitals in South Dakota operate as an oligopoly statewide and as monopolies in their own markets. Montana is pretty much the same: Benefis, Deaconess and the Billings Clinic operate as a virtual triopoly in that state, too. It’s disaster capitalism for oligarchs and religionists masquerading as health care. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) has known about the monopolistic nature of rural hospitals for decades now red state Montana is seeing 1,200 people contracting the Trump Virus every day.
According to WalletHub Montana is the the best state in the US for doctors and South Dakota has dropped to fourteenth.
After Amtrak's Empire Builder derailed near Joplin, Montana many of the injured passengers were unable to find medical care because area hospitals are overwhelmed with unvaccinated Republicans. The Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls is about 100 miles from Joplin.
“We ended up receiving five patients from the accident,” said spokesperson Kaci Husted. “And all five of them are still in house here with us.” “We’ve been operating above 100% of our typical capacity for several weeks now,” Husted said. “Somewhere in the 110% to somewhere in the 130ish% of our capacity range is what we’re seeing on a day-to-day basis.” Logan Health in Kalispell, Mont., – more than 200 miles from the accident – was at 94% capacity as of Monday morning and took in two patients from the derailment. [Boise Public Radio]Empire Builder passengers blame Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway for the derailment. In much of the Mountain West BNSF Railway owns the track bed over which Amtrak operates. Investigators believe speed was not a factor and that heat may have buckled the track. Passengers sign a waiver holding Amtrak harmless.
I'm glad to see the tracks have safely reopened, and I'll remain in close contact with Amtrak and the NTSB as this investigation continues.https://t.co/ApnfrIM1Zx
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) September 28, 2021
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