Nevada to receive $180M to help bolster rural health care system

Nevada was awarded nearly $180 million in federal money this week to help modernize the state’s rural health care system and bolster access to it, according to the Trump administration and state officials.

“Today’s announcement highlights the Trump Administration’s commitment to strengthening the rural health workforce, modernizing facilities and technology, and deploying innovative care models that bring high-quality health services to rural communities nationwide,” the White House said on Monday.

Nevada’s grant is part of a $50 billion investment approved through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act over the next five years, officials said.

The legislation created the Rural Health Transformation Program, which will distribute the funds.

‘Landmark investment’

In the first year, $10 billion will be spread among 50 states, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said. First-round grants range from roughly $147 million for New Jersey to about $272 million for Alaska.

“Thanks to this landmark investment, Nevada is positioned to make meaningful advancements in support of the state’s rural health care system,” said Gov. Joe Lombardo in a statement. “These funds will help connect rural Nevadans to health care by strengthening critical infrastructure, attracting a more robust healthcare workforce, and accelerating healthcare technology innovation in our rural communities.”

Lombardo’s office noted that states will need to reapply for additional funds each of the remaining four years of the initiative.

Nevada’s strategy to use the funds in 2026 is four-pronged, state officials said.

The state said it will invest dollars to address chronic illnesses and recruit health care professionals, while incentivizing them to serve in rural areas.

One-fifth of the grant will be used to modernize the rural health care system, while 15 percent will go toward bolstering its digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, the state said. “These funds may also be used to bolster the state’s rural telehealth infrastructure.”

Nevada Rural Hospital Partners — an alliance of rural hospitals — had expressed concern about funding cuts expected from the “big beautiful bill” soon after it passed in the summer.

While the group described the grant program as promising, it also questioned whether the dollars could help offset permanent cuts and for how long.

Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted the grants in a statement.

“More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care,” Kennedy said. “This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.