The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $50 billion rural healthcare funding initiative for all 50 states.
According to the department, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will provide billions to states to fund projects that improve access to healthcare in rural areas.
Georgia will get more than $218 million of that funding in the first year of the program, according to HHS.
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“More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. “This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, rural Americans will now have affordable healthcare close to home, free from bureaucratic obstacles.”
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The funding program is called the Rural Health Transformation Program, which HHS said was established by President Donald Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation and is meant to strengthen and modernize health care options in rural communities.
Starting next year, states will receive awards from CMS between $147 million to $281 million per state, averaging about $200 million.
Calling the investment unprecedented, federal officials said the funds will help states both expand access to healthcare for rural communities while strengthening the health workforce in those areas and modernizing medical facilities and technology.
“Today marks an extraordinary milestone for rural health in America,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Thanks to Congress establishing this investment and President Trump for his leadership, states are stepping forward with bold, creative plans to expand rural access, strengthen their workforces, modernize care, and support the communities that keep our nation running. CMS is proud to partner with every state to turn their ideas into lasting improvements for rural families.”
HHS said the $50 billion will be allocated to states over five years, with $10 billion available each year starting in 2026.
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