West STL News

Congressional Republicans and President Trump have launched the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to address ongoing challenges in rural health care across Missouri and the United States. The program, established under a new law focused on tax cuts for working families, aims to expand access to quality health services in rural communities.

States are eligible to apply for RHTP funding to improve and maintain health care delivery systems while recruiting and retaining clinical professionals in underserved areas. The initiative allocates half of its funding directly to states, with the remaining funds available through a competitive application process that encourages comprehensive improvements in rural health care.

Missouri’s congressional delegation, including Congresswoman Ann Wagner—who has represented Missouri’s 2nd District since 2013—recently sent a letter to Governor Mike Kehoe and state agency leaders. The letter highlighted the importance of RHTP resources for Missouri’s rural communities and outlined policy recommendations for the state's application.

“The [OBBB’s Rural Health Transformation Program] RHTP makes a critical, timely investment in America’s rural communities, like those in Missouri. Under this program, rural health providers will see $50 billion in investments over the next five years, with half of this funding allotted to states directly and half to be awarded to states that submit a comprehensive application to make improvements in rural health through meaningful investments such as: promoting sustainable access to high quality rural health care services, recruiting and retaining rural clinical workforce, and rightsizing health care delivery systems to meet the needs of each community. Congress intentionally drafted this program to provide a federal-state partnership that ensures every dollar benefits the rural communities that need it most. Accordingly, we are sharing the following principles that will best improve access to rural health care in rural Missouri and demonstrate responsiveness to CMS’ Notice of Funding Opportunity, and we request you to incorporate them in your forthcoming RHTP application. We stand ready to work with you on the application process to guarantee the most success, support, and resources for Missourians.”

Ann Wagner was born in St Louis in 1962 and currently resides in Ballwin. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science degree.

The full text of the letter from Missouri's Congressional delegation is available online.