FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 9, 2026

Contact: CMS Media Relations
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Trump Administration Announces $4.8 Million to Strengthen West Virginia’s Rural Healthcare Workforce and Expand Preventive Care

This federal investment will support the rural healthcare workforce and expand preventive care while new funding opportunities will increase access to home dialysis and medical transportation 

The Trump Administration announced today that a $4.8 million investment is being delivered to the Coal State through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). This investment will help recruit and retain the healthcare workforce across West Virginia and expand access to primary, behavioral, maternal, emergency, specialty, and preventive care services.

Today’s announcement delivers two funding awards of $2.4 million each. With $2.4 million to support a statewide recruitment and relocation program for licensed healthcare professionals to address workforce shortages in rural communities, with a first-year goal of recruiting at least 125 licensed healthcare professionals. An additional award of nearly $2.4 million, being delivered through West Virginia’s Health to Prosperity initiative, will expand worksite clinics and employer-based healthcare services, bolstering preventive care, health screenings, chronic disease management, and other healthcare services closer to where they work. The Trump Administration is also making critical investments to upgrade medical transportation services and telehealth options.

“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.”

“President Trump made a historic commitment to rural America, and these investments are delivering on that promise by helping communities build a stronger, more accessible healthcare system,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Rural health transformation is about meeting patients where they are, strengthening the care they can access close to home and creating solutions that will make a lasting difference for families and communities across the country.”

Today’s investment was made possible through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act—passed by Republicans in Congress and unanimously opposed by Democrats—delivering a historic $50 billion investment to help states transform the way healthcare is delivered in America.

“President Trump’s Rural Health Transformation Program gives West Virginia a historic opportunity to improve healthcare outcomes and build a healthier state,” said Gov. Patrick Morrisey. “We are putting these resources to work recruiting healthcare professionals to rural communities, bringing care closer to home, and finding new ways to help West Virginians get healthy and stay healthy. I appreciate President Trump and his administration for giving states the flexibility to invest these resources where they can make the greatest difference.”

“I’m proud that the Senate helped deliver the Rural Health Transformation Program through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, securing a historic federal investment in rural health care,” Sen. Shelley Capito said. “Now, we’re seeing that investment put to work in West Virginia. This first $2.4 million award will help recruit and retain health care professionals in rural communities and nearly $2.4 million in additional awards will help expand worksite clinics and preventative care. Additional funding opportunities will also expand access to critical services, improve care navigation, and support older West Virginians. These investments will strengthen our rural health care workforce and help ensure West Virginians can get the high-quality care they need, closer to home.”

"President Trump promised to deliver for rural America, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. This $4.8 million investment will help recruit and retain healthcare professionals in rural West Virginia, while new funding opportunities will expand services and bring quality care closer to home. The Rural Health Transformation Program is a big win for West Virginia families,” said Sen. Jim Justice.

“I am so grateful to President Trump and his Administration for delivering nearly $4.8 million to strengthen our rural healthcare workforce and expand preventive care across West Virginia. This investment is vital for our rural communities, which make up so much of who we are as a state. I look forward to seeing real improvements in programs like home dialysis access and greater utilization of worksite clinics, both of which bring care closer to home. I remain committed to working alongside the Administration to deliver these resources to the Appalachian communities that need them most,” said Rep. Carol Miller.

“West Virginians deserve access to quality health care regardless of where they live. These investments will help strengthen our rural health care workforce, expand critical services, and break down barriers that too often prevent rural communities from getting the care they need. I am grateful to the Trump Administration and CMS for investing in West Virginia and helping ensure more of our neighbors can receive quality care closer to home,” said Rep. Riley Moore

These efforts build on West Virginia’s broader strategy to expand access to care, strengthen the rural healthcare workforce, and support more sustainable rural health systems. Today’s announcement is part of the larger overall funding amount awarded to West Virginia for fiscal year 2026.

Projects supported by this funding include: 

• Expanding access to rural healthcare: Strengthening access to primary, behavioral, maternal, emergency, specialty, and preventive care while supporting prevention and chronic disease management closer to home. New Health to Prosperity awards will expand worksite clinics and employer-based healthcare services, while additional funding opportunities will support home dialysis, medical transportation, and regional hubs and mobility coordinators to help rural residents navigate and access care.
  
  
• Building a stronger rural healthcare workforce: Investing in recruitment, retention, training, and rural career pathways,including the newly announced statewide effort to recruit and relocate licensed healthcare professionals to rural communities.
  
  
• Advancing technology and infrastructure: Expanding telehealth, digital tools, data sharing, cybersecurity, equipment, and infrastructure to strengthen rural providers and support long-term sustainability.

The Trump Administration is delivering on its commitment to strengthen rural America by investing in solutions that transform healthcare access. Led by CMS, the RHTP is moving beyond the failed one-size-fits-all approach and giving rural communities the tools to build stronger, more innovative, and more sustainable health systems that deliver better care and better outcomes for the Americans they serve.

For more information about the RHTP, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/rural-health.

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