Health care

When the Blackfeet Nation closed its borders in the hopes of keeping COVID-19 out, the tribe suffered economically. But the virus still found its way in, sometimes with fatal effects. Kylie Mohr reports on why Blackfeet residents are worried as cases spike for the first time in months.

As COVID-19 cases across the state surge, the number of available hospital beds for COVID and other patients is quickly becoming a concern. But a shortage of health care workers to staff and watch over patients in those beds is already a problem in some areas of the state.

A federal report from early September says severe negligence at a Whitefish long-term care facility directly contributed to a COVID-19 outbreak. At the time of the findings, four residents had died from the virus.

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is visiting Montana this week to highlight the agency’s increased use of telemedicine during the coronavirus pandemic. More veterans are choosing to visit with their providers electronically, although others don’t know that’s an option.

The candidates for Montana's lone seat in the U.S. House met in their first debate hosted by MontanaPBS. Some fact checking in the debate was done by students and professors at the University of Montana School of Journalism. Associate Professor Lee Banville helped lead that effort and joins us now to walk through some of the highlights.

Candidates for Montana’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat met in a debate Wednesday night hosted by MontanaPBS. MTPR’s Shaylee Ragar reports that in their first match up this election cycle, Matt Rosendale and Kathleen Williams traded barbed words as they pitched themselves as the best person for the job.