TOPEKA — Kansas received $221 million from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen health systems and expand access to care in the state, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced allocations to states as part of the $50 billion program set up by Congress as part of the “big, beautiful” law passed in July.
Funds initially were expected to support rural hospitals and medical facilities that would be jeopardized by changes to federal health programs that are expected to increase the number of uninsured people nationwide and decrease Medicaid funds.
However, the program transitioned to focus on rural health in general, and each state submitted a plan on how it would use appropriated dollars.
Half of the funds are to be distributed evenly among all states and the remaining half were distributed based on the submitted plans. The fund is set up to operate from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with $10 billion being distributed each year.
Kansas received the sixth-highest amount among the states at $221 million.
“This funding for Kansas will go a long way in fundamentally changing the health care delivery system for rural communities across the state,” Kelly said.
The Kansas plan set five priorities: expand primary and secondary prevention programs; secure local access to primary care; build a sustainable rural health workforce; enable value-based care; and use data and technology, a state news release said.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will serve as the lead agency for the grant.
The Kansas allotment will be awarded for 2026, the first year of the five-year program, which focuses on identifying the root challenges facing rural health providers, said a news release from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican.
“The Rural Health Transformation Program is a significant investment in rural health care and will help improve outcomes for struggling hospitals, invest in new technology and bolster rural communities,” Moran said in the news release.
This story was originally published by the Kansas Reflector.
Copyright 2025 High Plains Public Radio
