Louisiana to receive $208M for rural health care

(The Center Square) − Louisiana is set to receive more than $208 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2026 under a new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program aimed at bolstering care in communities nationwide, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“The use of this funding will transform lives through innovative approaches to improve healthcare access in rural communities across the state,” said Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein.

The program, created under the Trump administration’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, will distribute $10 billion a year from 2026 through 2030, with first-year state awards averaging about $200 million and ranging from roughly $147 million to $281 million, CMS said.

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the funding is meant to help states expand rural access and modernize care delivery.

Louisiana has around 1.1 million residents who live in rural areas, and state officials have pointed to widespread provider shortages and chronic disease burdens...