Congress set aside $50 billion to transform rural health care. Will it work? episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 19, 2026 · 18 MIN

Congress set aside $50 billion to transform rural health care. Will it work?

from Make Me Smart · host Marketplace

A $50 billion pot of money for rural health care made it into last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Trump’s hallmark tax and spending law. But the funding comes in tandem with massive cuts to Medicaid spending — an existential risk to many rural hospitals. On today’s show, Kimberly speaks with KFF Health News correspondent Arielle Zionts about the potential benefits of the Rural Health Transformation Program and its potential shortfalls. Plus, Congress never came to an agreement on the Obamacare subsidies at the heart of last year’s government shutdown. What does that mean for rural communities?

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Congress set aside $50 billion to transform rural health care. Will it work?

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This episode was published on February 19, 2026.

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A $50 billion pot of money for rural health care made it into last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Trump’s hallmark tax and spending law. But the funding comes in tandem with massive cuts to Medicaid spending — an existential risk to...

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