Urge Congress to Invest in Rural Health

Rural America is home to more than 62 million people whose access to care and economic stability depend on a strong healthcare infrastructure. Yet rural hospitals, clinics, and workforce pipelines continue to face unprecedented strain. 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. NRHA urges Congress to fully fund rural health programs and pass a comprehensive FY 2027 budget.

Earlier this year, the President’s FY 2027 Budget Request (PBR) was released, which called for decrease in funding for Federal Office of Rural Health Program (FORHP) programs and the elimination of many core programs such as the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex), the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH), the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program, and the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program.

On June 5th, the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services (L-HHS) Subcommittee passed its FY 2027 L-HHS appropriations bill out of committee. NRHA is ecstatic to see Congress’ strong support for rural health through increased funding for many rural programs at FORHP, including increases over the FY 2026 enacted levels and the FY 2027 PBR. We applaud the House Appropriations Committee for working towards a comprehensive FY 2027 appropriations package and hope to see it pass the full House. Additionally, we urge the Senate to quickly advance its own appropriations funding package to support rural communities.

NRHA urges Congress to not eliminate core rural health programs in the final FY27 appropriations and requests the following funding levels for rural health programs:

Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex) (FY 26: $70.277 million)
- House Appropriations Committee (HAC): $75 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $70.277 million
State Offices of Rural Health (FY 26: $13.5 million)
- HAC: $15 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $15 million
- HAC: $30 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $20 million
Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program (FY 26: $25 million)
- HAC: $100 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $125 million
Rural Residency Planning and Development Program (FY 26: $14 million)
- HAC: $19 million
- PBR: $14 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $14 million
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) (FY 26: $145 million)
- HAC: $147 million
- PBR: $145 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $145 million
Rural Health Outreach Services programs (FY 26: $110.975 million)
- HAC: $120 million
- PBR: $110.975 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $120 million
Rural Health Research & Policy Development (FY 26: $11.076 million)
- HAC: $ 14.076 million
- PBR: $11.076 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $14 million
- HAC: $15 million
- PBR: N/A
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $15 million
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Rural Health (FY 26: $6 million)
- HAC: $7 million
- PBR: N/A
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $10 million
Rural Hospital Stabilization Pilot Program (FY 26: $14 million)
Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (FY 26: $15 million)

Several additional programs play a role in delivering care and strengthening rural health infrastructure. Changes to funding of these programs include:

Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) (FY 26: $47 million)
- HAC: $47 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $47 million
Oral Health Training Programs (FY 26: $43.673 million)
- HAC: $46.673 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $43.673 million
Nursing Workforce Development (FY 26: $305.472 million)
- HAC: $307.472 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $320 million
Community Health Centers (FY 26: $1.85 billion)
- HAC: $1.858 billion
- PBR: $1.85 billion
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $1.85 billion
National Health Service Corps (FY 26: $130 million)
- HAC: $133.1 million
- PBR: $130 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $160 million
Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (FY 26: $45.5 million)
- HAC: $45.5 million
- PBR: $70 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $48 million
Office of Pharmacy Affairs, which administers the 340B Drug Pricing Program (FY 26: $12.24 million)
- HAC: $12.24 million
- PBR: $20.5 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $12.24 million
Behavioral Health Workforce Development (FY 26: $154 million)
- HAC: $159 million
- PBR: $129.3 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $261 million

Additionally, NRHA supports the following funding levels for programs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Rural Hospital Technical Assistance (FY 26: $2 million)
- HAC: $2 million
- PBR: $2 million
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $5 million
ReConnect Broadband Program (FY 26: $50.75 million)
- HAC: $40 million
- PBR: $0
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $350 million
Communities Facilities Loans and Grants (FY 26: $1.9 billion)
- HAC: $1.9 billion
- PBR: $1.9 billion
- NRHA FY 27 Request: $1.9 billion

Please find our FY 2027 appropriations requests table here. Additionally, NRHA created a Rural Health Appropriations toolkit to aid you in your advocacy, where you can find rural health talking points, a template letter to Members of Congress, and an advocacy campaign how-to guide to aid you in your advocacy, where you can find rural health talking points, a template letter to Members of Congress, and an advocacy campaign how-to guide.

We encourage you to advocate on behalf of these requests by using the pre-drafted text in the campaign. As always, feel free to add your voice to the pre-drafted text to ensure your elected officials understand the unique needs of your community!

For state-specific information on rural health federal funding in your state, please see our 2025 Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) Funding Data by State.