Idaho receives $183M more to boost rural healthcare

Gov. Brad Little announced Monday the state of Idaho was awarded another nearly $183 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help improve affordability and accessibility of healthcare in rural Idaho.

“Where you live should not determine whether you can access quality, affordable health care," Little said in a press release. "That is especially important for families in rural Idaho, where distance and limited resources can create real barriers.

The announcement comes on the heels of the governor’s recent announcement that the state successfully distributed its Year 1 funds to strengthen and modernize healthcare in rural communities, a press release said.

The funds are part of close to $1 billion over five years awarded to Idaho by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to improve rural healthcare. The funds come from H.R. 1 The Working Families Tax Cuts Act, the release said.

Nearly all of Idaho’s counties are considered rural, and many communities face challenges related to access, workforce shortages, financial sustainability, and distance from care. The funding is intended to address those challenges through system-wide improvements and long-term investments.

"This investment will help close those gaps, support local providers, and bring more care within reach for Idahoans across our state,” Little said.

 Idaho’s plan focuses on five core initiatives:

• Improving rural access to care through technology

• Expanding innovative care models

• Strengthening workforce recruitment, training, and retention

• Supporting population-specific, evidence-based prevention and chronic disease efforts

• Investing in rural health infrastructure and partnership