FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 15, 2026

Contact: CMS Media Relations
(202) 690-6145 | CMS Media Inquiries

Trump Administration Announces $104 Million to Transform Rural Healthcare Across Mississippi Through Cutting-Edge Technology and Expanded Care Closer to Home

This federal investment will support 167 awards to expand specialty and diagnostic care, improve healthcare facilities and equipment, and bring more services closer to home

The Trump Administration announced today that more than $104 million in federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding is being put to work to modernize rural healthcare, expand access to services, and strengthen care delivery for Mississippians. This investment will support 167 grants across rural provider technology, capital and care-gap closure, and telehealth programs.

Funded projects include cybersecurity and electronic health record upgrades, remote patient monitoring, new diagnostic and surgical equipment, expanded maternal and behavioral healthcare, and telehealth programs connecting rural patients with specialty care.

“President Trump understands that every American deserves high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home. We are giving states the flexibility to build solutions around the people they serve, while demanding accountability for results. That is how we strengthen rural health, improve the lives of patients and families, and Make America Healthy Again.”

“President Trump made a historic commitment to rural America, and these investments are turning that commitment into better care for patients in communities across Mississippi,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “This is what rural health transformation should look like: federal investment that is putting patients first, driving lasting improvements and expanding healthcare for the hardworking Americans who call these communities home.”

Today’s investment was made possible through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act — passed by Republicans in Congress and unanimously opposed by Democrats — delivering a historic $50 billion investment to help states transform the way healthcare is delivered in America.

“When we began this work, we set out to do more than simply invest in the healthcare system we already have,” said Gov. Tate Reeves. “We set out to transform how rural Mississippians access care — bringing more services closer to home, strengthening the providers and facilities that rural communities depend on, and using technology and innovation to better connect patients to care across our state. Today, we are beginning to see that vision become reality. I want to thank President Trump for making rural healthcare a priority and for giving governors in states like Mississippi the opportunity to make transformational investments in the communities that need them most. I also want to thank Secretary Kennedy, Administrator Oz, and our partners at HHS and CMS for their leadership and for working with states across America as we put these plans into action.”

“The Rural Health Transformation Program is a generational investment in rural health care,” said Sen. Roger Wicker. “It will help Mississippi hospitals modernize systems and improve care across our state.”

“Access to quality healthcare in America shouldn’t depend on where you live,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. “This $104 million in Rural Health Transformation funding is an investment in the future of rural healthcare in Mississippi, helping our hospitals and clinics modernize their technology, expand telehealth, and bring more specialty care closer to home. I welcome this investment and will continue working to ensure rural communities have access to the resources and care they need to thrive.”

“I am proud to have worked with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to deliver the single largest investment to rural health care in American history,” said Rep. Michael Guest. “With our state receiving over $205 million, Mississippi is set to implement new, innovative solutions that address our growing rural health demands. Mississippi recognizes the importance of rural health care and the need to address our nation’s rural health outcomes. I will continue to prioritize rural health and solutions that will innovate health care in Mississippi.”

“Access to quality health care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code,” said Rep. Mike Ezell. “This more than $104 million investment will help rural communities across Mississippi modernize their health care facilities, expand access to telehealth and specialty services, and give providers the tools they need to better serve their patients. I’m proud to see these resources coming home to Mississippi and helping ensure families can receive high-quality care closer to home.”

Today’s announcement is one part of the larger overall funding amount awarded to Mississippi for fiscal year 2026.

Projects supported by this funding include: 

• Modernizing Technology and Strengthening Cybersecurity: 97 grants totaling approximately $47.4 million will help rural healthcare providers modernize aging technology, strengthen cybersecurity and data protection, improve interoperability, and adopt tools that reduce administrative burden and support safer, more efficient care.
  
  
• Closing Care Gaps: 43 grants totaling nearly $43.3 million will expand access to essential healthcare services in rural communities, including surgical and specialty care, diagnostic imaging, maternal and behavioral health services, and other critical clinical services. Funding will also support facility and equipment improvements needed to maintain reliable access to care.
  
  
• Expanding Telehealth Access: 27 grants totaling nearly $13.4 million will expand telehealth and remote patient monitoring capabilities, helping connect rural Mississippians to primary care, behavioral health, specialty care, and chronic disease management services closer to home.

The Trump Administration is delivering on its commitment to strengthen rural America by investing in solutions that modernize technology to promote health and well-being for rural communities. Led by CMS, the RHTP is moving beyond the failed one-size-fits-all approach and giving rural communities the tools to build stronger, more innovative, and more sustainable health systems that deliver better care and better outcomes for the Americans they serve.

For more information about the RHTP, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/rural-health.

###

Get CMS news at cms.gov/newsroom, sign up for CMS news via email and follow
CMS on X @CMSgov