Florida will receive $209.9 million over five years to improve health care in rural areas, under a $50 billion federal program.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Dec. 29 announced the amounts of money that each state will receive through the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was part of a tax package that President Donald Trump signed in July.
ALSO READ: Florida seeks share of $50 billion in federal funding for rural health care
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration last month formally submitted an application for the money, saying it would focus on increasing access to primary and preventive care in rural areas, bolstering programs to train and recruit health care workers and investing in technology to improve access to specialty care.
According to CMS, other states offered similar plans for their shares.
"Florida’s application reflects what we have heard directly from our providers, stakeholders and rural communities about the challenges they face and the solutions they need,” AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris said in a statement when the application was submitted.
“We are laser-focused on creating a lasting impact by strengthening our workforce, driving innovation, and expanding access to care. This plan is designed to ensure that rural families across Florida can count on a health system that is sustainable, responsive, and built around their needs."
ALSO READ: Albritton plans for a quick vote in Florida Senate on 'rural renaissance’
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has made improving access to health care in rural areas part of what he has dubbed the “rural renaissance” plan.
That plan (SB 250), which also addresses issues such as improving education, transportation and economic development in rural areas, will be considered during the legislative session, which starts Jan. 13.
The federal program will distribute $50 billion nationwide over five years, with $10 billion allocated annually from 2026 through 2030.
CMS said half of the funding is distributed equally among states, while the remainder is based on factors including rural population, the condition of state rural health systems and the projected impact of proposed reforms.
Florida’s first-year award places it slightly above the national midpoint. Awards ranged from a high of $281.3 million in Texas and $272.2 million in Alaska to a low of $147.3 million in New Jersey, according to CMS data. Most states clustered near the $200 million mark.
“More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement announcing the awards. He said the program is intended to give local hospitals, clinics and health workers greater control over care delivery and bring services closer to home.
State-by -state shares
Rural Health Transformation Program awards for fiscal year 2026, announced by CMS:
- Texas – $281,319,361
- Alaska – $272,174,856
- California – $233,639,308
- Montana – $233,509,359
- Oklahoma – $223,476,949
- Kansas – $221,898,008
- Georgia – $218,862,170
- Nebraska – $218,529,075
- Missouri – $216,276,818
- North Carolina – $213,008,356
- Kentucky – $212,905,591
- New York – $212,058,208
- New Mexico – $211,484,741
- Florida – $209,938,195
- Iowa – $209,040,064
- Arkansas – $208,779,396
- Louisiana – $208,374,448
- Indiana – $206,927,897
- Tennessee – $206,888,882
- Mississippi – $205,907,220
- Wyoming – $205,004,743
- New Hampshire – $204,016,550
- Wisconsin – $203,670,005
- Alabama – $203,404,327
- Ohio – $202,030,262
- Colorado – $200,105,604
- South Carolina – $200,030,252
- West Virginia – $199,476,099
- North Dakota – $198,936,970
- Oregon – $197,271,578
- Utah – $195,743,566
- Vermont – $195,053,740
- Illinois – $193,418,216
- Pennsylvania – $193,294,054
- Minnesota – $193,090,618
- Maine – $190,008,051
- Virginia – $189,544,888
- South Dakota – $189,477,607
- Hawaii – $188,892,440
- Idaho – $185,974,368
- Washington – $181,257,515
- Nevada – $179,931,608
- Michigan – $173,128,201
- Maryland – $168,180,838
- Arizona – $166,988,956
- Massachusetts – $162,005,238
- Delaware – $157,394,964
- Rhode Island – $156,169,931
- Connecticut – $154,249,106
- New Jersey – $147,250,806
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
