Photo: Alamy
The White House has launched a new program aimed at infusing billions of dollars into expanding and transforming rural healthcare in America, established under the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation folded into July’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
This week, the Trump administration unveiled details behind the $50 billion infusion into rural communities through the “Rural Health Transformation Program,” which will award large sums of money to all 50 states.
“Access to quality care should not be determined by your zip code,” the White House said in its announcement of the initiative. “Today’s announcement highlights the Trump Administration’s commitment to strengthening the rural health workforce, modernizing facilities and technology, and deploying innovative care models that bring high-quality health services to rural communities nationwide.”
According to the OBBB and a memorandum from the White House, the rural health program will disburse these funds over the next five fiscal years through collaboration between both Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), at the rate of $10 billion per year.
CMS has stated that this program seeks to accomplish five goals:
- Make rural America healthy again,
- Sustainable access,
- Workforce development,
- Innovative care,
- Tech innovation.
“If you’re out there, a practicing physician, a hospital, a patient, the money’s given today with the belief that you can deliver what you promised us,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “But it’s given over five years. So, over time, we’re going to innovate and iterate and make the system work even better.”
Director Oz said that the agency was already busy drumming up new ideas, like prescription medication delivery by drone or the use of robotic ultrasound technicians for monitoring pregnant women.
“Every year we’re going to audit the system, and we’re going to ask you to do even better than the year before,” he continued.
In other words, the amount of money disbursed to states will be a “competition,” according to the director, encouraging hospitals and doctors to perform above and beyond. “America loves a competition,” Director Oz said.
