New Hampshire has been awarded over $204 million in federal funding aimed at enhancing rural health care across the state. This substantial financial support is part of the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was announced on October 30, 2023, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The initiative, established under the One Big Beautiful Bill, allocates a total of $50 billion nationwide to address persistent disparities in rural health care delivery.
The funding will be instrumental in expanding access to health services and improving care quality for residents in rural areas. In a statement, New Hampshire’s Governor Kelly Ayotte highlighted the collaborative effort that led to the successful application for these funds.
“We did this the New Hampshire way — with input from our providers, community health and mental health centers, other rural health stakeholders, and feedback from Granite Staters, and the hard work paid off,” Ayotte noted. “This is the beginning of a bold effort to expand access to affordable, high-quality care closer to home for Granite Staters in rural communities.”
New Hampshire’s application requested $200 million annually over the program’s five-year duration, which resulted in the state receiving the highest allocation among its New England counterparts. For context, funding for other states includes $195 million for Vermont, $162 million for Massachusetts, approximately $154 million for Connecticut, and about $156 million for Rhode Island.
The primary focus of the funding will be to enhance behavioral and mental health services in rural communities. Additionally, it aims to improve chronic disease management and address access barriers, particularly in northern New Hampshire, where limited transportation options hinder residents’ ability to reach hospitals and emergency services.
Feedback from over 300 stakeholders, including hospitals, rural health providers, community health centers, and members of the public, influenced the priorities outlined in the application. Lori Weaver, the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, emphasized the importance of this input.
“It was important that the Department hear from as many stakeholders as possible as we worked to transform rural health care delivery in New Hampshire,” Weaver commented. “I am grateful to all who provided input and look forward to working together to implement our plans and meet our goals.”
Planning for the program is currently underway, with the first round of investments expected to commence in 2026. These initial efforts will concentrate on supporting rural health care providers and the communities they serve, marking a significant step towards improving health outcomes in New Hampshire’s rural areas.
The announcement of this funding represents a crucial development in the ongoing efforts to enhance health care accessibility for rural populations, reflecting a commitment to addressing long-standing inequities in health care delivery.
