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.

On April 3, 2026, President Trump released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request (PBR). The budget request calls for defunding longstanding, proven, and bipartisan rural health programs and reorganizing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The FY 2027 President’s budget calls for a $15.8 billion, or 12.5%, decrease in funding for HHS from the enacted FY 2026 level. This includes a $102 million decrease in funding for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) programs and the elimination of core programs including 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. 

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)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $70.277 million
• State Offices of Rural Health (FY 26: $13.5 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $15 million 
• Rural Hospital Stabilization Program (FY 26: $14 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $20 million
• Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program (FY 26: $25 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $125 million
• Rural Residency Planning and Development Program (FY 26: $14 million)
  • PBR: $14 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $14 million
• Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) (FY 26: $145 million)
  • PBR: $145 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $145 million
• Rural Health Outreach Services programs (FY 26: $110.975 million)
  • PBR: $110.975 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $120 million
• Rural Health Research & Policy Development (FY 26: $11.076 million)
  • PBR: $11.076 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $14 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)
  • 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)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $47 million
• Oral Health Training Programs (FY 26: $43.673 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $43.673 million
• Nursing Workforce Development (FY 26: $305.472 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $320 million
• Community Health Centers (FY 26: $1.85 billion)
  • PBR: $1.85 billion
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $1.85 billion
• National Health Service Corps (FY 26: $130 million)
  • PBR: $130 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $160 million
• Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (FY 26: $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)
  • PBR: $20.5 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $12.24 million
• Behavioral Health Workforce Development (FY 26: $154 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)
  • PBR: $2 million
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $5 million
  • House Appropriations Committee Request: $2 million
• ReConnect Broadband Program (FY 26: $50.75 million)
  • PBR: $0
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $350 million
  • House Appropriations Committee Request: $40 million
• Communities Facilities Loans and Grants (FY 26: $1.9 billion)
  • PBR: $1.9 billion
  • NRHA FY 27 Request: $1.9 billion
  • House Appropriations Committee 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.