Florida will receive more than $209 million in federal funding for rural health care improvements, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday. The funding comes through the Trump administration’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation and its $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.
Approved states will receive funding over a five-year period from 2026 to 2030, with $10 billion distributed annually. Half of the funds are equally divided among participating states, while the remaining half is allocated based on rural health needs, policy proposals, and system readiness.
Florida’s rural health criteria include counties with populations under 75,000, or counties with 125,000 or fewer residents that border rural areas. The designation also extends to municipalities within those counties.
The CMS stated that state applications were reviewed by subject matter experts. Florida’s allocation is among the top-tier awards, with only a few states receiving more. Texas leads with over $281 million, followed by Alaska at $274 million. Other states received less, including New Jersey with $147 million and Connecticut with $154 million.
The funds aim to improve rural health by increasing access to primary, preventive, maternal, and behavioral health care. States are also encouraged to invest in workforce development through training and retention incentives, upgrade health facility infrastructure, and explore new care models to boost patient outcomes and maintain local access.
The funding reinforces the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen rural communities, particularly through health care reform. The Working Families Tax Cuts legislation was designed to prioritize underserved populations and increase quality of life through targeted investments in infrastructure, health, and economic opportunity.
