WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Trump Administration recently announced more than $12.5 million in federal investment to modernize rural health care services and expand access to care in Missouri’s 8^th Congressional District. This funding is part of the Rural Health Transformation Program’s (RHTP) historic $50 billion investment in rural health care which Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08) authored as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts, also known as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

“I wrote the Rural Health Transformation Program to benefit Missouri communities. When a rural hospital shuts down back home, that often means losing half a day on the road for a basic scan, mental health appointment, or prenatal checkup,” said Rep. Jason Smith. “We’ve already seen a dozen rural hospitals close across Missouri in the last ten years alone, and I made it my mission to make sure that doesn’t continue. This investment is yet another sign that the program is doing exactly what I intended it to do when I included it in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. I’m thrilled to see this much-needed funding go to several providers back home to improve and protect rural health care across southeast and south central Missouri, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure that our neighbors have access to the care they need and deserve.”

“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.”

“Instead of throwing money at a broken status quo, President Trump’s Rural Health Transformation Program is funding the structural improvements necessary to build stronger, more sustainable rural health systems,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “These investments are already delivering better access to higher-quality care for rural Missourians, and we look forward to working with state leaders to build on that success over the remaining four years of the program.”

“Every Missourian deserves access to quality healthcare close to home,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe. “These investments will help rural health care providers modernize facilities, expand maternal and behavioral health services, and strengthen access to critical care across our state. By supporting locally driven solutions, we are helping rural communities build a stronger health care system that improves outcomes for Missouri families today and for generations to come.”

Background:

• This announcement is part of the more than $216 million Missouri received through the RHTP and will support facility and equipment improvements for maternal, behavioral, diagnostic, and outpatient services across Missouri.
• This investment will support rural health care providers as they renovate, reconfigure, equip, or repurpose existing facilities to expand maternal health, behavioral health, diagnostic, outpatient, and chronic disease management services in Missouri.
  • The investment will deliver new labor, delivery, and private triage rooms; expanded behavioral health services for older adults and people with substance use disorders; and upgraded diagnostic equipment, including MRI, mammography, and ultrasound services.
  • The funding will also expand primary care and increase the capacity of rural health clinics, helping rural providers update existing facilities and capabilities to better match the health care needs of the communities they serve.
• These investments build on more than $54 million the Trump Administration previously announced to support rural health care in the Show-Me State, including:
  • More than $7 million to expand doula training and certification for Missouri’s rural maternal health workforce, as well as mobile health care and community paramedicine services in rural communities.
  • More than $45 million to upgrade rural Missouri hospitals, connect providers with behavioral and maternal health specialists, and grow the state’s emergency care workforce.
  • More than $2.3 million to strengthen Missouri’s rural health care workforce and expand access to maternal care.
• Facilities in the 8^th Congressional District to receive funding include:
  • Missouri Delta Medical Center (Sikeston): $3,265,760.63
  • Ozarks Medical Center (West Plains): $3,582,525
  • Mercy Hospital Perry (Perryville): $2,028,750
  • Phelps County Regional Medical Center (Rolla): $1,585,002.75
  • Texas County Memorial Hospital (Houston): $989,445.32
  • Four Rivers Community Health Center (Rolla): $800,000
  • Big Springs Medical Association (Ellington): $247,387
  • Gibson Center for Behavioral Change (Cape Girardeau): $98,965.14
  • Total amount awarded to facilities in the 8^th District: $12,597,835.84
• Missouri’s broader RHTP strategy aims to strengthen coordination and build a more sustainable rural health care system. It focuses on four areas:
  • Local and regional care networks: community hubs and regional networks that improve care coordination and connect rural Missourians with providers.
  • Rural health care workforce: recruitment, training, clinical education, and retention to strengthen the pipeline of rural health professionals.
  • Technology and data: shared digital infrastructure and better data sharing so rural providers can coordinate care.
  • Rural care delivery: provider modernization and new care and payment models that support long-term sustainability.