Rural hospitals in all 50 states can apply for federal funding to help them provide better, more dependable care starting in 2026.
The Rural Health Transformation Program will provide $50 billion to “strengthen and modernize” health care for the more than 60 million Americans living in rural communities, according to a Dec. 29 statement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The funding will be distributed over five years, with $10 billion available each year from 2026 through 2030.
First-year awards to states range from $147 million in New Jersey to $281 million in Texas.
“This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare. Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, rural Americans will now have affordable health care close to home, free from bureaucratic obstacles,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr….