Husted announces $202 million for Ohio rural health care access

WASHINGTON - Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today announced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will award the State of Ohio just over $202 million for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) as part of the Rural Health Transformation Fund.

The Rural Health Transformation Fund was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act passed by Congress earlier this year and signed into law by the president on July 4, 2025. Husted fought aggressively for the creation of the fund to support Ohio's network of rural hospitals. Continued funding for Ohio under this program will provide more than $1 billion over the next five years to support rural health care access in the state.

"Our rural health care providers are some of our communities' literal lifeline, and having access to local care is the difference between life and death in emergency situations. This is a huge step in our mission to making Americans healthier, in addition to supporting these facilities that also commonly serve as the anchor employer in our small towns," said Husted.

This $202 million award is the first of five expected tranches of funding from the Rural Health Transformation Fund over the next five years. Specifically, the funding builds on initiatives of Gov. DeWine and then Lt. Governor Husted by further investing in school-based health centers to drive access to primary care for rural Ohioans.

Furthermore, funding will enhance access to dental, vision and hearing services through mobile clinics.

Husted led a letter addressed to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz with Ohio's Congressional Delegation on Dec. 19, 2025 in support of Ohio's application to the fund highlighting the strengths of Ohio's application for funding based on the proposed targeted investments in the health care workforce through partnerships spanning high schools through medical schools, while also encouraging partnerships between hospitals, community health centers and family physicians.

The CEOs of Ohio's rural hospitals expressed their gratitude for Husted's support of the fund in a public letter following the bill's passage. Husted spent much of the Senate's August recess visiting rural hospitals and learning how we can use this fund strategically to deliver better care to Ohioans and learn what more can be done to support these facilities.