Gianforte tours hospital while in Havre

Republican candidate for governor Greg Gianforte talked about ways to improve the cost and quality of health care in the state as he toured Northern Montana Healthcare facilities Thursday during a campaign stop in Havre.

Gianforte was accompanied by his wife, Susan, and state Rep. Stephanie Hess, R-Havre.

They had a meeting with Northern Montana Hospital staff before Christen Obresley, the health care organization's vice president of regulatory and community services, gave them a tour of the hospital, Northern Montana Care Center and Hi-Line Sletten Cancer Center.

Gianforte said that he was scheduled to speak to the Havre Realtor's Association luncheon to talk about jobs and housing.

His campaign has received the endorsement of the Montana Association of Realtors.

A retired Bozeman high-tech entrepreneur and first-time political candidate, Gianforte faces Democratic first-term Gov. Steve Bullock and Libertarian Ted Dunlap of Connor in November's election.

"This is a much larger health care facility than one would expect in  a community of this size," Gianforte said.  "So I think it's tremendous the work they are doing and it's a real asset to the whole Hi-Line."

Gianforte said that on the campaign trail he has constantly heard about the rising  cost of health insurance.

"People are very concerned about quality of health care, rural access, preserving it so our communities can thrive and the need to get cost down," he said.

If elected, Gianforte said, he will work with the Legislature to enact policies that can remedy the situation.

Gianforte said Montanans have seen rising health insurance costs due to a number of factors including what he said were the adoption of "massive federal programs by the state."

"I particularly think we need more Montana made solutions, particularly because Montana is not like New York state and we need to do what is right for Montana," he said.

Gianforte said some solutions that need to be looked at include transparency in the pricing of health care services, work to provide medical services across state lines and introducing new technologies through telemedicine.

He said there have been great advances in telecommunications technology, such as a phone app that allows someone to connect with a doctor through their smartphone. Gianforte said that someone with a leg injury who is  a long distance from the nearest hospital could get in  touch with a doctor through the app, take a picture or record video of the injury which could then be transmitted to the doctor.

A high percentage of emergency room visits are for conditions that could have been diagnosed using such technologies, he said.

"You can see them, talk with them, show them a laceration on your leg and it's $40, not $1500, and it saves the driver a ride," he said.

Gianforte said the government needs to provide a health care safety net to help people who cannot take care of themselves.

However, Gianforte said, much of what is needed to improve the health care situation in Montana is more high-wage jobs in the broader economy.

"Doesn't matter if it is health care, education, if we do not have a strong economy we won't have a tax base to pay for these things," Gianforte said.