On April 3, 2026, President Trump released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request , which includes billions of dollars of cuts that would strike hardest at the rural hospitals and clinics that tens of thousands of Coloradans depend on. 

These cuts call for the elimination of bipartisan, fundamental, and long-standing rural health programs, including the State Office of Rural Health (SORH), the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (FLEX), and the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP). These programs are essential to providing improvement, support, and technical assistance that is imperative to our rural communities. Read more about the impact these programs have on rural healthcare in Colorado here.

You know from your own experience that rural communities already face serious barriers to care. These proposed cuts would upend Colorado's rural health system and could lead to rural hospital closures and reduced access to care.

Rural Coloradans deserve the same access to quality healthcare as anyone else in this state. Our clinics and hospitals are more than buildings — they are employers, anchors of our communities, and often the only place to turn to for care.

Congress must prioritize funding vital rural health programs in order to support rural communities’ access to local care, sustain the rural health infrastructure, and bolster the workforce. CRHC urges Congress not to eliminate core rural health programs in the final FY27 appropriations and support these longstanding, bipartisan programs that are vital to the healthcare facilities across rural Colorado

Please sign onto the attached message to tell Colorado members of Congress to oppose these threats to our rural healthcare system. Share this alert with your team, neighbors, and community members. These cuts will impact us all. 

Thank you for standing up for your fellow Coloradans.

In strength and solidarity,

The Colorado Rural Health Center