Backed by Threat of Clawbacks, Feds Wield Tight Grip on $50B Rural Health Fund By Sarah Jane Tribble and Arielle Zionts June 16, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-health-transformation-program-federal-cms-clawbacks-state-plans/ KFF Health News: Backed By Threat Of Clawbacks, Feds Wield Tight Grip On $50B Rural Health Fund In Maine, state health officials hoped to steer a slice of $190 million in new federal rural health funding to shield hospitals and clinics from the fallout caused by cuts to federal health programs. Their plan would have helped pay to treat low-income, uninsured patients. But federal leaders overseeing the five-year, $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program said no. “It was not our decision,” said Lisa Letourneau, a senior adviser at Maine’s health department. (Tribble and Zionts, 6/16)