The Trump administration announced $193.7 million in federal funding to 45 organizations across Florida to expand rural healthcare services, improve access to specialized treatment and strengthen healthcare infrastructure in underserved communities.
The funding, awarded through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), will support telehealth, mobile clinics, remote patient monitoring, pharmacy-based services and community paramedicine, allowing rural residents to receive preventive and specialized care closer to home.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), more than 500 partnerships involving hospitals, clinics, local governments and community organizations will help implement the initiatives statewide.
Approximately $81 million of the funding will go toward rural healthcare improvements in Northwest Florida, according to U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis.
The investment is part of a broader $50 billion national initiative established through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act to modernize healthcare delivery and improve access to medical services in rural communities.
Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed the funding, emphasizing its potential to improve healthcare accessibility throughout the state.
“These investments will strengthen rural health care in Florida by expanding preventive and at-home services, increasing access to specialty care, and supporting hospitals and health care providers,” DeSantis said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is prioritizing workforce development, infrastructure improvements and expanded healthcare access in underserved areas.
“We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home,” Kennedy said.
Beyond expanding direct patient services, the program will support recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, improvements to rural medical facilities and the development of innovative healthcare delivery models.
Additional priorities include expanding school-based healthcare, strengthening chronic disease management and integrating technology to improve coordination among providers.
The $193.7 million announcement represents one portion of Florida’s broader fiscal year 2026 allocation under the Rural Health Transformation Program, which aims to reduce geographic barriers to medical treatment and strengthen rural healthcare systems nationwide.
