States hope to use rural health money to keep doctors, combat chronic disease

States hope to use rural health money to keep doctors, combat chronic disease

In their competition for rural health care dollars from a new federal fund, states are seeking money to bolster emergency services, address chronic diseases, and recruit and train more doctors and nurses.

All 50 states submitted their applications to the federal government in early November to get shares of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.

Congress created the program in response to concern from rural health care providers — as well as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle — about the effects of Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed this summer.

A Stateline analysis of 10 states’ proposals to the Rural Health Transformation Program found common