WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding nearly $25 million to 132 small rural hospitals across 13 states to help retain medical workers and preserve emergency, inpatient, and other essential health services in communities facing financial pressure.
The funding, distributed through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program, provides direct financial assistance intended to help eligible hospitals maintain their workforce and reduce the risk of avoidable closures.
Hospitals may use the awards to retain physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, allowing facilities to maintain services that rural communities depend on for local access to care.
“Every American should be able to reach a doctor or hospital when they need one, no matter where they live,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated. He said the funding is intended to help rural hospitals keep medical workers on staff and maintain services close to patients’ homes.
Rural hospitals often serve as the primary source of health care in their communities while operating under financial constraints that can threaten their ability to maintain staffing and services, according to HHS.
HRSA Administrator Tom Engels described the hospitals as economic as well as health care anchors for their communities, supporting local families and medical workers.
The awards also drew support from Rep. Robert Aderholt, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, who pointed to his role in advancing the program and said the funding is intended to help rural hospitals continue providing care locally.
The Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program is designed to provide direct support to eligible small rural hospitals facing financial challenges that can affect staffing and the availability of essential services.
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