Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today the State of Idaho was awarded another nearly $183 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help improve affordability and accessibility of healthcare in rural Idaho.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Governor’s recent announcement that the state successfully distributed its Year 1 funds to strengthen and modernize healthcare in rural communities.

The funds are part of close to $1 billion over five years awarded to Idaho by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to improve rural healthcare. The funds come from H.R. 1 The Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

Nearly all of Idaho’s counties are considered rural, and many communities face challenges related to access, workforce shortages, financial sustainability, and distance from care. The funding is intended to address those challenges through system-wide improvements and long-term investments.

“Where you live should not determine whether you can access quality, affordable health care. That is especially important for families in rural Idaho, where distance and limited resources can create real barriers. This investment will help close those gaps, support local providers, and bring more care within reach for Idahoans across our state,” Governor Little said.

 Idaho’s plan focuses on five core initiatives:

1. Improving rural access to care through technology
2. Expanding innovative care models
3. Strengthening workforce recruitment, training, and retention
4. Supporting population-specific, evidence-based prevention and chronic disease efforts
5. Investing in rural health infrastructure and partnerships

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This information is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $ 182,698,376.93 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.