State Receives Nearly $200 Million In Rural Health Program First Year

West Virginia is set to receive $199 million from the Trump Administration through the Rural Health Transformation Fund (RHTP) for 2026, according to a press release from Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office. 

The state was guaranteed to receive $100 million a year for five years as part of the program established in the One Big Beautiful Bill signed by President Donald Trump on July 4. All 50 states were invited to submit applications to the federal government to receive additional funds. West Virginia’s application was submitted on Nov. 5. 

It’s unclear what the state will receive in years 2-5. 

West Virginia’s RHTP application was developed through public input, roundtables, and a statewide tele-townhall with more than 17,000 participants according to the governor’s office. 

“The $199 million investment for 2026 provides a transformative foundation to improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and strengthen families and communities throughout West Virginia,” Morrisey said. “This award positions our state to deliver better care closer to home and build a healthier future for generations to come. It is also the highest per capita award of any state that West Virginia touches.”

The RHTP is designed to lessen the blow of cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. West Virginia may lose as much as $900 million a year from those cuts, putting rural hospitals at risk according to estimates. 

Morrisey said he doesn’t believe those estimates at a November press conference and said he thought improving the health of the state would lower the medical issues in the first place. He also stressed getting people healthy so the state can improve the workforce participation rate. 

West Virginia’s plan will focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure, expanding access to primary and specialty care, addressing workforce shortages, improving coordination among providers, and developing innovative delivery models designed specifically for rural communities, the release said. 

“I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and Dr. Oz for recognizing the unique challenges facing rural communities and for supporting state-driven solutions that deliver real results,” Morrisey said. “Their leadership helped make this transformational investment possible for West Virginia families. Hopefully, we will be able to retain those numbers for all five years of the program.”

The approved application provides solutions to address:

– The distance between patients and providers.

– The lack of access to rural healthcare providers.

– Resources to support rural healthcare providers.

– Connecting West Virginians to the workforce as they become healthier.

– Preventing adverse health outcomes through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

“This investment is a long-term commitment to building modern healthcare systems that work for rural communities and support economic growth across West Virginia,” Dr. Arvin Singh, West Virginia Secretary of Health, said.

The $199 million investment for 2026 – more than the amount neighboring states Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania will receive next year – will be deployed to enhance access to care, support the recruitment and retention of the healthcare workforce, expand telehealth services, and strengthen rural health systems statewide. 

More information on these seven initiatives can be found here. 

Read the application summary here.

View the application materials here.