News

Actions

Idaho awarded $185M to invest in its rural health care system

EmmettRuralHospital
Posted

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo (R) announced that the Gem State was recently awarded $185 million to invest in its rural health care system as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).

Proposed by Sen. Crapo, the RHTP was passed in 2025 as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

RELATED | How a new $50 billion CMS program plans to transform rural health care in all 50 states

In total, the bill provides $50 billion over five years for rural hospitals to update their technology and attract more patients. Ultimately, the power lies with the individual states in terms of how they use funds awarded through RHTP.

According to a release from the United States Senate Committee on Finance, the $185 million designated for Idaho will largely go towards expanding telehealth services, improving healthcare employee recruitment and training in rural areas, as well as supporting tribal health care programming.

“The projects supported by this grant will help Idahoans in remote areas get the care they need, even long after the program ends,” said Crapo. “The variety and creativity of the initiatives approved by [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] make clear the importance of the Rural Health Transformation Program to America’s rural health care systems."