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Gov. Pillen Touts Huge Rural Health Transformation Program Award
LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen released the following statement after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its awards for the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country.
“The partnerships we have built throughout President Trump’s team paid off for Nebraska today in a BIG way,” said Governor Pillen. “Per the announcement from Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz, the application I directed our team to submit for Rural Health Transformation funds was awarded over $218 million for rural healthcare, the 8th highest award in the country.”
Through the initiative, the state of Nebraska will receive $218,529,075 for the first year of the five-year grant from the federal government, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again.
“President Trump’s commitment to rural economic revitalization is real, and today’s announcement is proof,” Gov. Pillen continued. “On behalf of all Nebraskans, I am grateful for this partnership and support.”
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will build a prevention first, tech-enabled sustainable rural health care system. The project will prevent chronic disease, regionalize care, and advance Make America Healthy Again priorities. To achieve this vision, DHHS will implement seven integrated initiatives to strengthen the State’s rural health infrastructure, address workforce gaps, and ensure access to care through consumer-facing technology.
“DHHS is committed to begin work immediately in partnership with our rural providers to build a strong, comprehensive health care infrastructure for rural communities, one that will stand as a national model,” said DHHS CEO Steve Corsi. “We are grateful to Governor Pillen for his leadership and persistent collaboration with federal partners in bringing this historic rural investment to fruition.”
“More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, rural Americans will now have affordable healthcare close to home, free from bureaucratic obstacles.”
“Today marks an extraordinary milestone for rural health in America,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Thanks to Congress establishing this investment and President Trump for his leadership, states are stepping forward with bold, creative plans to expand rural access, strengthen their workforces, modernize care, and support the communities that keep our nation running. CMS is proud to partner with every state to turn their ideas into lasting improvements for rural families.”
