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$50B rural health transformation program needs more transparency, groups say
One year into its creation, a $50 billion federal program aimed at improving rural health care lacks transparency, which could make it difficult to protect against fraud, identify successful projects ...
Indiana receives $120 million for rural maternal, infant health services
Indiana is receiving $120 million to expand rural health services for mothers and babies.
Petersburg Medical Center to receive federal grants to expand telehealth, maternal health, and behavioral health programs
The Petersburg Medical Center is positioned to receive more than a million dollars between three Rural Health Transformation Program grants. Administrators say they are projects that are ready to hit the ground running.
$50B Rural Health Transformation Program Needs More Transparency, Groups Say
By Arielle Zionts and KFF Health News HealthDay ReportersTHURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2026 (HealthDay News) — One year into its creation, a $50 billion federal program aimed at improving rural healthcare lacks transparency, which could make it difficult to protect against fraud, identify successful projects ...
Senator Kim Visits Warren County to Talk Healthcare and Jobs
Yesterday, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) visited Warren County with focused visits on expanding affordable healthcare and improving New Jersey’s workforce development pipeline as part of his Einstein Corridor initiative. “I leave these visits inspired by the dedication I witnessed from those in Warren County who are training NJ’s next generation of workers and pushing to ensure access to quality healthcare in some of our most rural communities,” said Senator Kim. “There is so much unique potential in each corner of our state – I’m excited to bring the ideas discussed with[...]
Rural health, data, and data challenges in the age of rural transformation
In Part two of AHCJ's 2026 Rural Health Webinar Series, we talk with ETSU's Michael Meit about rural health data.
Rural Internship Teaches CALS Student the Business of Bison
Through the CALS Rural Works! Internship Program, animal science major Lauren Schulte-Hock got firsthand experience in both business operations and animal care at Sunset Ridge Bison Ranch in Roxboro, North Carolina.
$50B Rural Health Transformation Program needs more transparency, groups say
States must submit progress reports to the federal government but aren’t required to post those reports or related information publicly.
Sanford Health, North Memorial Health complete partnership
The combined health system will keep essential services at Robbinsdale Hospital while building stronger rural-urban care across Minnesota.
Alabama Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group digs into $144 million in grants
The administrators behind the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program provided grant updates to lawmakers who oversee the initiative.
Home State Health and Centene Foundation Award $750,000 to Missouri Organizations Advancing Community Health
Funding supports community-based programs addressing food security, housing stability, workforce development, foster care and rural health across Missouri ST. LOUIS, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --...
Virginia implementing $122 million to improve rural healthcare thanks to the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’
$122 million is being implemented to improve rural healthcare in Virginia, and it’s thanks to the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Maine GOP urges immediate funding boost for struggling rural health centers
PCHC, Maine’s largest federally qualified health organization, said it is in urgent need of funding.
Virginia health leaders, lawmakers share enhanced healthcare resources for rural communities
Eastern Shore residents and healthcare providers on Friday told state leaders about the opportunities and challenges they face serving their communities, with Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin Figueroa outlining how the state government can support them and other rural Virginians.
Private property rights challenge rural Colorado communities
If there were ever a topic I believe deeply in, it’s private property rights. If there were ever a topic that leaves me in a moral conundrum more often than not, it’s private property rights. The northern portion of Weld County is where towns like Grover and Hereford are hunkered down against the wind. It’s […]
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare offering grants to improve rural healthcare
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is offering grants to help improve access to health care in rural areas. The grants cover a variety of projects, and the department is urging organizations to apply.
Study: Rural, dual-eligible patients less likely to receive timely home health rehab
Medicare patients who were rural and dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid were less likely to receive home health rehabilitation services within 48 hours of discharge from the hospital, according to an August study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
Infirmary Health says it has received more than $5 million to expand rural health care.
Infirmary Health says the grants are among 138 awards totaling more than $144 million announced Aug. 24, 2026, by Gov. Kay Ivey.
‘We are excited about the future’: Aiken and Florence healthcare providers announce intent to merge
Aiken-based Rural Health Services has announced intent to merge with HopeHealth, another nonprofit that provides primary and specialty health care services.
Rural health centers in Lesotho increasingly rely on male midwifes
The southern African kingdom is seeing more men becoming midwives. Lesotho has a high rate of women’s deaths around childbirth, and the government emphasizes that gender shouldn’t matter in childbirth care.
University of Minnesota offering free vision, hearing tests at the State Fair
The U of M will be showcasing its new sensory health mobile unit at the State Fair this year — an initiative to free diagnostic care to more Minnesotans, especially in rural areas where it can be tricky to find care close to home.
This Appalachian memoir author is running as a Democratic contrast to JD Vance
Beth Macy is challenging Rep. Ben Cline in a bright-red Virginia district, hoping her own story and the stories she told about the region will win back rural and working-class White voters.
Florence and Aiken healthcare providers HopeHealth and Rural Health Services to merge
Nonprofit healthcare provider HopeHealth and Rural Health Services (RHS) announced plans to merge operations into a single community health center to serve Flor
Senator Marshall, Stormont Vail Health discuss rural healthcare transformations
Senator Roger Marshall met with leaders at Stormont Vail Health to discuss ways to improve rural healthcare.
Healthcare Freefall: AI arms race hits rural healthcare as hospitals fight to keep up
Editor’s Note: Colorado’s healthcare system is entering a period of accelerating instability — a “tsunami,” as multiple leaders describe it — driven by collapsing hospital finances, shrinking Medicaid reimbursements, disappearing services and a political fight over who is responsible for this unraveling. Healthcare Freefall is a multipart series examining how Colorado arrived at this moment, […]
Action urged for Mississippi's rural mental health crisis
Social worker: Addressing this rural mental health crisis in Mississippi should not only be a public health priority, but a moral imperative grounded in the inherent dignity and worth of every person.
Oklahoma officials outline progress on Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives
The update comes as Oklahoma prepares to enter the second budget period of a five-year federal funding opportunity meant to transform rural health.
Va. officials announce disbursement of $122 million in Rural Health Transformation Fund awards
The money is meant to hire and retain rural healthcare providers, invest in healthcare technologies and strengthen the industry’s workforce in rural areas.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Awarded Grant to Improve Diabetes Testing Access in Rural West Texas
The American Medical Association (AMA) awarded $50,000 to Adrian Billings, M.D., Ph.D., as part of a new grant to improve access to A1C testing in West Texas.
Arkansas announces $149.3 million in first-round rural health grants
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on Thursday, $149.3 million in awards to recipients of the first round of Rural Health Transformation Program grants.
The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science
“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Arkansas Awards $149.3M in Rural Health Transformation Grants
Arkansas awarded $149.3 million in rural health grants to 50 projects after healthcare providers submitted more than 500 proposals for funding.
Arkansas awards nearly $150 million in rural health program funding
Arkansas awarded $149.3 million in federal funding to 50 projects to support rural healthcare efforts statewide, Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Thursday.
Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program Awards UAMS Nearly $12 Million to Fund 4 Initiatives
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received nearly $12 million in funding under the THRIVE and PACT initiatives of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
Governor Sanders announces nearly $150 million in rural health grants
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Wednesday that Arkansas will award $149.3 million in the first round of grants through the state’s Rural Health Transforma
Sanders Announces Nearly $150 Million Awarded in Rural Health Transformation Funds - Arkansas Governor
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced $149.3 million in awards to recipients of the first round of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) grants, established through President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The initial funding round will award $55.7 million through the Telehealth, Health-Monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion (THRIVE) initiative and […]
Georgia’s 87 rural hospitals to receive $93.3 million for health upgrades from US government
Nearly 90 hospitals in Georgia will get a piece of a new $93.3 million investment from the Trump administration.
$50B Rural Health Transformation Program Needs More Transparency, Groups Say
States must submit Rural Health Transformation Program progress reports to the federal government, but they aren’t required to proactively post those reports, or related information, publicly.
MFU Foundation report finds that small businesses are squeezed by anticompetitive conduct
PAUL, Minn. - Growing monopoly power and anticompetitive conduct across the economy are key reasons rural Minn...
Rural health grants aimed at offsetting Medicaid cuts go to 80 unique institutions
According to a brief from KFF, the fund could offset 37% of the estimated federal Medicaid spending cuts in rural areas.
Maternal healthcare gap has widened between urban and rural Texas
Between 2022 and 2024, the number of Texas “maternal care desert” counties grew to 129, meaning more than half of the state's counties had no birthing locations and no clinicians who deliver...
How preference for sons affects women's mental health in rural India
In rural India, having a son is a strong social expectation that puts pressure on women to bear male children. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines how a firstborn son ...
Faulkner University Awarded More Than $3 Million to Transform Rural Health Care Access and Workforce Development in Alabama
Faulkner has been awarded more than $3 million through Alabama's Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP) to expand health care access.
Nebraska State Fair brings in entertainment for all tastes and budgets
GRAND ISLAND, NE – The 2026 Nebraska State Fair begins this Friday, August 28th and runs through Labor Day, September 7th in Grand Island. The 2026 Nebraska Lottery Concert Series features a great…
Why the Democrats' Path Back to Power Runs Through the Kitchen Table
A unique new messaging study underscores the supremacy of economic populism in rural America and beyond.
Juno Health and SlicedHealth Partner to Deliver Comprehensive Revenue Optimization for Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
Juno Health, a trusted healthcare technology partner for acute care, teams up with SlicedHealth, a leading healthcare revenue cycle and operations intelligence company, to offer SlicedHealth's revenue cycle tools as an integrated and included complement to Juno EHR's native revenue cycle management suite. This partnership delivers a more powerful, end-to-end financial health solution to the small hospitals and clinics the two companies serve.
CDC releases latest life expectancy data
Deleted public comments on White House proposals, how Trump cuts are reshaping rural health care, and more Morning Rounds news
How Trump's cuts are reshaping America’s health system
A scramble to prepare for massive federal cuts across the health care system is hitting rural states like Maine particularly hard.
First-of-its-kind PA program at UM hopes to boost rural health access
The University of Montana is making history with the launch of a new health care training program.The university is beginning its first week of classes for its
Third time the charm? Democrat Christina Bohannan tries again in pivotal House race in Iowa
Bohannan is focusing on rural areas she previously lost, hoping to capitalize on Trump's declining popularity and economic issues.
Governor Ivey Announces First Grants in $144 Million Rural Healthcare Program
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday the awarding of 138 grants totaling more than $144 million to healthcare providers and institutions across Alabama as part of the
Governor Ivey Announces First Grants in Major New Rural Healthcare Program Totaling More than $144 Million -
MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced the awarding of 138 grants worth a total of more than $144 million to healthcare providers and institutions throughout the state as part of the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP). The … Continued
Patients wary of governments, companies pushing AI as a rural healthcare solution
Two of the nation’s most powerful health officials predict artificial intelligence will play a key role in solving rural America’s health challenges.
Community Voice: Mobile crisis services help fill Tennessee’s youth mental health gap
As concerns grow about the future of healthcare access in rural Tennessee, mental health professionals at Youth Villages encourage families to become familiar with a resource that remains available statewide: mobile crisis services.
Cityblock to Acquire Homeward Health, Secures $116M Series E
Cityblock Health plans to acquire rural healthcare provider Homeward Health and has raised $116 million to expand its value-based care model to rural and Medicare Advantage populations.
Bipartisan Energy Politics | Reading and Podcast Picks
Reading and Podcast Picks is a collection of what we’ve been reading and listening to over the last week or so about energy topics. In addition to these R&P Picks, paid subscribers receive access to the full archives, Grid Roundups, and select episodes of the Energy Capital Podcast. Please subscribe today. Texans, legislators debate transmission lines at hearing | Texas Tribune “Republican legislators, Democratic statewide candidates, landowners from rural Texas and environmentalists” alike joined together Wednesday to protest the buildout of 765-kV lines across the state. At the protest and nine-hour hearing that followed, lawmakers heard a variety of recommendations, including from local officials arguing for more local control of data center proposals and more time to reform the process behind approving transmission lines across Texas. Though discussed in separate hearings, landowners and protesters said the issues are connected… Regulators have already been working through a new way to decide how much of the cost of building new transmission lines needs to be paid for by individuals and how much needs to be paid for by companies such as data centers. Experts said they believe the new system will lower the burden on residential consumers relative to the industrial groups. Data-Center Backlash Leads to New Land Rush in Texas Oil Patch | The Wall Street Journal While the data center protests rage, investors converge on the Permian Basin to build data centers powered by cheap natural gas. “A lot of places you see all over the country they’re worried about water, they’re worried about power, they’re worried about transmission, and the Permian has all of those things in spades,” said EagleRock Chief Executive Greg Pipkin Jr. Dallas-Fort Worth Dethrones Virginia as the World’s Top Data Center Market | Dallas Innovates Two reports show growth in North Texas data centers despite political concerns about the industry. Boasting five highly ranked data center markets, Texas is experiencing an explosion of data center activity. Long anchored by the DFW market, “the state is growing at a pace that could soon bring total installed capacity in line with — and potentially beyond — that of Virginia,” the Cushman & Wakefield report said. A new report from commercial real estate services provider JLL takes a slightly different view, anointing Texas the top data center market in North America. Texas eclipsed longtime frontrunner Virginia based on the level of existing and under-construction data center inventory in the state as measured by gigawatt capacity. A gigawatt equals 1 billion watts.
In rural Chad, solar kiosks bring healthcare closer
Solar-powered telemedicine is helping rural Chadians overcome distance and limited access to doctors.
Dartmouth Health ending telehealth services for rural hospitals
Dartmouth Health ending telehealth services for rural hospitals
Dartmouth Health ending telehealth services for rural hospitals
Dartmouth Health ending telehealth services for rural hospitals
Nearly $20 million in federal dollars help expand rural healthcare access in Marion, Polk
Marion and Polk counties are getting a slice of a $50 billion federal funding package to advance rural healthcare access.
New mental health practice opens in Danville, aims to expand access in rural communities
Dartmouth Health ending telehealth services for rural hospitals
Dartmouth Health is ending telehealth services for emergency and intensive care that connected smaller hospitals to specialists during emergencies.
More than 500 applicants seek share of Louisiana rural health millions
By Nolan Mckendry | The Center Square More than 500 applicants are seeking a share of Louisiana’s new federal rural health funding, but not every request will be approved as they […]
Small Towns, Big Care: Three Rivers Hospital Tackles Rural Health Access on "All Access hosted by Andy Garcia"
Healthcare availability in isolated regions faces unprecedented operational strain as small facilities close nationwide. Filmed on location on August 13, 2026, a new feature from "All Access hosted by Andy Garcia" highlights how Three Rivers Hospital maintains comprehensive, 24/7 care across a remote service territory. The Public Television segment illustrates how a facility established by local residents decades ago continues to serve as an independent medical hub. Through continuous quality pr
The business case for turning the barn lights back on
As U.S. farms disappear at an accelerating rate, the loss of each one ripples far beyond the family that ran it, hollowing out the rural communities built around them.
Cityblock acquires Homeward Health to move into rural healthcare, lands $116M funding round
Cityblock Health, a company primarily focused on providing care for urban Medicaid and dual-eligible members, is acquiring Homeward Health to expand deep into rural markets, the company announced T | Combined, the two companies will serve nearly 250,000 people and are positioned to reach the120 million people receiving government-funded healthcare in the U.S., Toyin Ajayi, Cityblock Health CEO and co-founder wrote in a blog post.
Fire destroys Umatilla pallet business along Highway 395
UMATILLA — A large commercial pallet fire broke out early Wednesday, Aug. 19, causing numerous propane tanks to explode along Highway 395 near Union Street in Umatilla. The Umatilla Rural […]
Kelly applauds Trump administration's announcement of $35 million in new rural health care funding for Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), a member of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health, applauded the Trump administration that $35 million, made possible through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), is being put to work to improve health outcomes among rural Pennsylvanians by updating to new, more modern screening technology, buying equipment to bring additional operating rooms online, and expanding transportation options.
MDARD announces funding for Saginaw townhome project, West Branch business
New investments announced by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Wednesday at the Upper Peninsula State Fair include grant funding for projects in mid-Michigan.
Health outcomes in rural America: A prevention-to-crisis view on determinants of health, chronic diseases, and economic consequences
This America's Rural Future symposium explores the interconnections between health outcomes and economic development in rural areas.
Rural Health Network Grand Opening in Chowchilla
Rural Health Network opens a new location in Chowchilla providing the community local access to health care.
ULM receives $2.1 million from LDH to expand health sciences offerings
The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) has been awarded $2.1 million from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) through the Rural Health Transformation Project to expand programs in its College of Health Sciences, providing a significant investment in the university’s efforts to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce in Northeast Louisiana and across the state.
WKU Institute for Rural Health presents to Kentucky General Assembly
WKU Institute for Rural Health (IRH) gave a presentation to the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Joint Committee on Health Services about its work to improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural Kentucky.
Alaska awards millions in rural healthcare funding, including to restart Presidential Fitness Test
More than $230 million remains to be distributed in Alaska through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Burcum: At a packed forum, Faribault charts a course for rural health care
Regarding the proposed Allina-Sutter merger, residents want specifics on their hospital’s future ― not talk of synergies and efficiencies, Jill Burcum writes.
Rural Health Transformation Program Rolls Out in Texas, to Excitement and Confusion
Healthcare providers in Texas say the Rural Health Transformation Program provides much-needed funding. But they worry about tight timelines, lingering questions and awkward restrictions.
Senator Ron Wyden hears from rural Oregon, health care concerns - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2
MEDFORD, Ore.- Senator Ron Wyden is hosting a field hearing with Oregonians to talk about health care and what he can do to help. Senator Wyden was at the Rogue Valley Times, where he live-streamed on YouTube and took questions from rural Oregonians. Some gave their testimonials about having to pay anywhere from 900 to […]
Farm Bill Politics - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says lawmakers must stop with the farm bill delays and deliver some certainty to rural America.
Chronic pain is missing from America’s heat warnings
The results of a new study suggest that chronic pain deserves a place in how the country prepares people for extreme weather. They also show that rural residents may be the least protected.
Byron business celebrates grand opening thanks to Business Builder Grant
LINCOLM, Neb. — A year ago, Free Day Popcorn in Byron received a Business Builder Grant award through the Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative — part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Rural Prosperity Nebraska. This...
Guest Commentary: For rural Floridians, better healthcare starts with better transportation
For many rural residents, access to healthcare doesn’t end with whether a provider or clinic exists. It begins with whether they can get there.
Thomson Health Fair bridges crucial healthcare gap for rural community
The event is part of an ongoing, vital effort to bridge the gap between health services and rural communities, providing access to resources that are often difficult to secure in rural areas.
Wyoming directs rural health funds to critical access hospitals, EMS and more
Wyoming is receiving $205 million for the first year of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to expand the capacity of the state's healthcare system.
New Mexico behavioral health committee approves $40M in funding for rural behavioral health plans
The New Mexico committee tasked with rebuilding the state's behavioral health infrastructure approved $40 million in funding requests Friday.
Maine to explore the role of AI in rural health care
The state needs “a new approach to delivering rural health care,” officials said in a proposal for federal funding.
Geisinger College of Health Sciences celebrates 2026 School of Nursing graduates, expanding access to care across rural communities
Geisinger College of Health Sciences celebrates 2026 School of Nursing graduates, expanding access to care across rural communities
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Atwater to announce $102M investment in rural health care centers
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater to announce a $102 million investment alongside other members of the Trump administration.
State announces $4.5M in funding for Alaska health projects
The 19 projects across the state will receive federal funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Luján, hospital leaders talk Medicaid 'headwinds' and rural health gaps at Rio Rancho roundtable
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat from New Mexico, told hospital administrators at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center that Republican-backed federal Medicaid cuts won’t just hurt New Mexicans enrolled in the program — they’ll raise care and insurance costs for everyone else, too. Presbyterian Delivery System President Chad Aduddell told Luján the nonprofit system — […]
Rural health panel divvies $205M in federal funds for Wyoming healthcare
by Katie Klingsporn, WyoFile In its marathon meeting Tuesday, Wyoming’s new rural health advisory panel earmarked roughly $200 million in President
Rural health panel divvies $205M in federal funds for Wyoming healthcare
by Katie Klingsporn, WyoFile In its marathon meeting Tuesday, Wyoming’s new rural health advisory panel earmarked roughly $200 million in President
Asia-Pacific parliamentarians urge bolder action for universal health coverage, climate resilience and responsible AI
Parliamentarians representing 16 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region concluded the Ninth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) today, reaffirming their key role in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) amid the risks and opportunities posed by AI and climate change. In adopting the Phnom Penh Communiqué, parliamentarians urged fellow legislators regionwide to strengthen sustainable financing for UHC to widen access to health for all, including the most vulnerable populations; promote responsible governance of AI amid ethical concerns over this fast-evolving technology; and build climate-resilient health systems to anticipate and respond to mounting pressures ranging from rising sea levels in coastal areas to air pollution and other environmental degradation.The National Assembly of Cambodia, with support from Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), hosted the Forum in Phnom Penh from 11 to 13 August 2026 – the first time the Forum has convened in a Mekong country.Parliamentarians urge action to close gaps in accessIn the Communiqué, parliamentarians recognized that at-risk and marginalized groups are the ones most severely affected by gaps in access to health services. These groups include people living in poverty, women and children, persons with disabilities, older people, migrants, refugees, and those in rural, remote or island communities. The Communiqué urges fellow parliamentarians and policy-makers to advocate for laws and policies that support sustainable financing to protect people from financial hardship, with a focus on primary health care, prevention and equity. "The Communiqué is a call to action. It sets out ambitious, concrete measures that deliver meaningful impact on the ground. We are all accountable for advancing universal health coverage and translating our commitments into tangible results. Cambodia is fully committed to advancing UHC, including the promotion of ‘healthy people, prosperous country’ campaign,” said Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia, highlighted the need for collaboration beyond the health sector. “Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by the Ministry of Health alone. It requires support, particularly from parliamentarians, across political, legislative, financial, social protection, education, infrastructure, and environmental domains. While each country follows its own path, one factor is universally critical for success: strong governance and leadership. We all believe in this principle, and in our respective political roles, we remain committed to strengthening these key success factors to ensure that no one is left behind.”Promoting responsible AI adoption Parliamentarians acknowledged that, while AI has already demonstrated its ability to improve access to health services and support delivery, careful and ethical governance is necessary to safeguard quality, safety, privacy and public trust. This underscores the importance of parliamentarians in promoting legal and regulatory frameworks addressing liability, records ownership and data governance, while embracing innovation that protects ethical practice.“Without strong governance, safeguards for privacy and data security, sustainable financing, and attention to those most at risk of exclusion, new technologies may widen existing gaps instead of closing them. This is why parliamentarians matter. We pass laws. We approve budgets. We scrutinize government action. We represent communities. We can ask whether health services are reaching rural, remote, ageing, poor, and marginalized populations. We can ask whether innovation is being guided by equity, evidence, and ethics,” said Hon. Man Hee Lee, President of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.Building climate-resilient health systemsParliamentarians also reiterated that the climate crisis is a direct threat to people’s health and to achieving UHC more broadly, deepening the same gaps in access already faced by at-risk and marginalized communities. They recognized the need for WHO Member States to ensure sufficient national appropriations and oversight, and for parliamentarians to raise awareness in their constituencies and mobilize local action in building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.“Universal health coverage, climate change and AI cannot be addressed in isolation. The same communities struggling to access health services today are often the ones most exposed to climate shocks, and most in need of the opportunities AI can offer if this technology is governed responsibly,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Having served previously in this Forum myself as a parliamentarian from Tonga, I recognize how the Phnom Penh Communiqué reflects the shared resolve of legislators across the Asia-Pacific region: the laws parliamentarians pass and the budgets they approve help ensure this progress reaches the people who need it most.”As the Forum drew to a close, delegates reflected on what they would carry back to their own parliaments and constituencies.“I wish to share three points here worth carrying home from Phnom Penh: we need to invest in primary health care as the foundation of coverage; we need to remove the barriers that keep people from care, whether financial, geographic or social; and we need to build systems that are inclusive by design, protecting those most at risk of being left behind,” added Hon. Ouch Borith, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia.###Notes for editors:The Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity and foster collaboration towards sustainable health action. This was the ninth meeting of the APPFGH, with the theme “Universal Health Coverage in the era of Climate Change and Artificial Intelligence”. Target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls on countries to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health services, and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. In the Western Pacific, UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1) rose from 63 in 2000 to 81 in 2023 (figures include Indonesia), and roughly one in four people in the Western Pacific have experienced financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2). Progress towards UHC in the Asia-Pacific region remains uneven, with hundreds of millions of people still lacking access to essential health services or facing financial hardship due to health-related expenses. Strengthening the role of parliaments – through legislation, financing and oversight – is central to closing this gap and accelerating progress towards UHC across the region.Parliamentarians participating in APPFGH in Cambodia this week include: Hon. Pehin Dato Adanan YUSOF, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. Rosmawatty ABDUL MUMIN, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. LORK Kheng, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. YOS Phanita, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOUN Khundy, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. HENG Halim, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOENG Noupheap, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. SENG Nhak, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. LY Sukry, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. NHOEURN Raden, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. Dr Ratu Atonio LALABALAVU, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Vijay NATH, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Man Hee LEE, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Jiho CHA, Republic of Korea; Hon. Jonghun BAEK, Republic of Korea; Hon. Youngsuk SEO, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Phayvanh KEOPASEUTH, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Suhaizan Bin KAIAT, Malaysia; Hon. Dr Perpetua KONMAN, Federated States of Micronesia; Hon. Ganmaa DAVAASAMBUU, Mongolia; Hon. Charmaine SCOTTY, Republic of Naoero; Hon. Vincent Ambance KUMURA, Papua New Guinea; Hon. Dr Edwin CRUZADO, Republic of the Philippines; Hon. AUUAPAAU Mulipola Aloitafua Mulipola, Samoa; Hon. ASIATA TAVUI Tafu Salevao, Samoa; Hon. Dr Alani Petelo TANGITAU, Tonga; Hon. Paul PAOLO, Republic of Vanuatu; Hon. Franklyn Ezra WILLIAM, Republic of Vanuatu.For more information, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia (International Relations Department): ir.nacambodia@gmail.com
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