Comparing States’ Rural Health Fund Allotments to Medicaid Spending Cuts Can be Misleading Authors: Alice Burns and Robin Rudowitz Published: Feb 6, 2026

https://www.kff.org/medicaid/comparing-states-rural-health-fund-allotments-to-medicaid-spending-cuts-can-be-misleading/ This issue brief explains why it can be misleading to compare the first year of Rural Health Transformation Program allocations with estimated Medicaid cuts, which will be implemented on a gradual basis and not fully take effect until 2027, after the rural health fund is exhausted.