U.S. Congress passed President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” this year with the creation of a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.
What’s included in the fund? According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) $50 billion will be designated to approved states over five years, with $10 billion available each year beginning in federal fiscal year 2026.
CMS says half of the funding will be evenly distributed to all states with an approved application. The other half will be awarded to approved states based on individual state metrics and applications that reflect the greatest potential for and scale of impact on the health of rural communities.
The deadline for states to apply is November 5. According to CMS, there is only one opportunity to apply for funding and one application period for this program. CMS plans to announce awardees by December 31, 2025, and will partner with states over the program period to ensure strong oversight and successful implementation of initiatives with lasting impact.
What are the requirements to qualify? Missourinet has been trying to learn these details from state leaders and several executives in the hospital industry, but the theme seems to be there are still many unknowns and confusion about the requirements.
Missouri Congressman Mark Alford told Missourinet details are still being finalized on the program, which aims to expand rural healthcare. He added that Missouri’s Medicare system will release more information soon.
“I do know that the new construction is not going to be a part of that,” said Alford. “Some of the hospitals, though, are looking at this to bring in some new equipment that’s going to bring in more physicians and nurses to help grow their system and help kind of stabilize the market.”
Alford said this could eventually lead to a consolidation of rural hospitals.
“Vernon County, their hospital there is not doing well financially and that could be one hospital that is involved in the consolidation with a bigger group,” said Alford. “I think overall it’s going to lead for better services for people, but mainly it’s going to keep these rural hospitals open in a lot of these areas because that is a really important.”
Along with health care, Alford talked about food assistance for low income families. With SNAP benefits suspended for November, roughly 650,000 Missourians are left without federal food aid as the U.S. government shutdown continues.
A Democratic proposal is out there to use contingency reserve funds to partially support SNAP during the federal government shutdown – alongside President Trump’s suggestion to tap tariff money. Alford said it’s a novel idea.
“President Trump has gotten through the tariffs some $380 billion, I think $30 to $50 billion is being put in the Commodity Credit Corporation and that is overseen by Secretary Rollins,” said Alford. “I’d have to take a look at that to see what the plan is exactly. Initially that sounds like something that could work to help the SNAP program to help feed those who are truly needy.”
Alford made his comments to reporters during a Zoom call on Friday.
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