Mississippi has been awarded $205.9 million from the federal government to strengthen healthcare in its rural communities.
As announced by Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday, the funding came from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation program as a result of Mississippi submitting its health plan in November. Mississippi’s plan, per the Republican governor, was developed with broad input from key stakeholders across the state and is focused on improving healthcare and patient outcomes, strengthening the rural health workforce, and ensuring sustainable access to care for those in need.
When fully implemented, the plan is intended to ensure that, by 2031. every rural Mississippian will have reliable access to high-quality healthcare services, both in-person and through telehealth.
Mississippi’s plan was submitted as part of a $50 billion federal program created under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, formerly known as President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Of the $50 billion, half will be distributed to all 50 U.S. states evenly, while the other half will be divvied out through competitive bids.
“This is another big win for Mississippi. When we developed our plan, we worked with experts from across Mississippi. Together, we came up with a strategy that best serves Mississippians and makes the biggest impact on healthcare in rural communities throughout the state,” Reeves stated.
“I’d like to thank President Trump, Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz for this once-in-a-generation opportunity,” he continued. “My administration is ready to get to work with our partners to deploy this funding on behalf of the over three million people who live in our great state.”
Mississippi’s plan, according to Reeves, is broken into six initiatives and designed to benefit residents across the state. The six initiatives are:
- Statewide Rural Health Assessment: Mississippi will engage a third-party to conduct a comprehensive statewide assessment of rural healthcare needs, both today and looking forward ten years.
- The Coordinated Regional Integrated Systems Initiative: This initiative is designed to transform rural healthcare delivery across the state by creating a connected, data-driven network of emergency, clinical and community-based services.
- The Workforce Expansion Initiative: This initiative is designed to strengthen the healthcare workforce in rural areas, improving access, continuity, and quality of care. Through targeted programs, the initiative addresses recruitment, retention, training, and career pathway development for all healthcare professionals.
- The Health Technology Advancement and Modernization Initiative: This initiative is designed to modernize rural healthcare systems by strengthening the digital backbone that supports high-quality, coordinated, and secure care.
- The Telehealth Adoption and Provider Support Initiative: This initiative is designed to strengthen rural healthcare by increasing virtual care access, supporting providers in adopting telehealth, and exploring innovative payment models. Investments will enhance connectivity, technology, and diagnostic tools to enable real-time remote care.
- The Building Rural Infrastructure for Delivery, Growth and Efficiency Initiative: This initiative is designed to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure by improving access to specialized care, closing care gaps, and supporting pilot programs that enhance healthcare delivery and improve outcomes. The initiative focuses on building physical, operational, and programmatic capacity to address unmet needs, improve care coordination and foster sustainable rural healthcare systems.
In implementing the plan, the governor’s office will lead the oversight and coordination while working closely with the Mississippi State Department of Health, which houses the State Office of Rural Health and the Mississippi Division of Medicaid.