HHS has announced awards to 132 hospitals totaling nearly $25 million through the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program to help eligible small rural hospitals maintain their medical workforce, sustain essential healthcare services, and strengthen access to care for the communities they serve across 13 states.
The awards are routed through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. touted the awards as “putting these resources directly into rural hospitals so they can keep doctors and nurses on the job, protect lifesaving services, and deliver care close to home.”
The Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program was created to provide direct financial assistance to help address challenges unique to rural hospitals and reduce the risk of avoidable hospital closures.
Awarded hospitals can use the funding to retain physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, allowing hospitals to preserve essential services, including emergency, inpatient, and other critical healthcare services.
