Rural health, Medicaid and Head Start funding among local priorities raised with Congressman Hurd

Montezuma County commissioners raised rural health care as a top priority in their meeting with Congressman Jeff Hurd, noting the importance of the county's critical access hospital and the broader regional reliance on local services.

Hurd acknowledged the county's concerns and said Medicaid reimbursement and federal health policy are chiefly handled by the Energy and Commerce Committee and appropriations processes. He noted the state had approved a 1.6% Medicaid reimbursement increase that the Joint Budget Committee recently considered, and he said he would engage with House leaders and relevant committee staff to protect rural health services as budget and reconciliation proposals advance.

Commissioners told Hurd their hospital is a critical-access facility that serves local residents and travelers from neighboring counties and states; they stressed that a catastrophic loss of local hospital capacity would have wide regional effects. The county reported that the continuing resolution now funds government operations through September, which provides short-term certainty but does not resolve longer-term funding or policy questions.

The county also raised concerns about Head Start funding and potential reductions discussed during public comment earlier in the meeting. Hurd said he had heard similar concerns and asked the county to follow up with specifics so his office could trace program status and funding levels.

Ending: Hurd said he would coordinate with colleagues and staff, and requested county follow-up with specific reimbursement figures and Head Start funding details so his office could advocate for protections for rural providers.