SALEM, Mo. – Salem Memorial Hospital has been awarded approximately $1.8 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), an initiative that Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) authored and fought for as part of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. The funding will support major facility and patient-care upgrades at the hospital that has served Smith’s hometown for generations.

Congressman Smith said, “Growing up in Salem, I know exactly what this hospital means to our community. My family has depended on Salem Memorial for generations, and I’ve seen firsthand what it means for a small town when the local hospital stays open and care continues to improve. When a rural hospital closes, that often means an extra hour on the road to receive care, and for many families, that extra hour can be the difference between life and death.

“That’s exactly why I championed the Rural Health Transformation Program. When I was writing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, I knew we had to include support for rural health care so hospitals like Salem Memorial can get the resources they need to continue serving the families who depend on them — and I did just that. I’m proud to see this funding benefit my hometown, and I will keep fighting to make sure our rural communities have access to quality health care.”

Background:

• Planned projects for the funding include a new roof, new windows, a new call-light system in the long term care and surgical units, and new air conditioners in patient rooms.
• The RHTP is a $50 billion program included in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill — the largest single investment in rural health care in American history.
• Missouri has already been awarded more than $216 million statewide through the RHTP.
• Sixty million Americans, roughly 20% of the U.S. population, live in rural communities that lack sufficient access to quality, affordable health care.
• Twelve rural hospitals have closed in Missouri over the past decade, and nearly 200 have closed nationwide.
• Congressman Smith has stayed in direct contact with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz since the One, Big, Beautiful Bill’s passage to ensure southeast and south central Missouri communities are prioritized for RHTP funding.