Trump Dangles Rural Health Dollars To Push States To Change Hospital Laws By Andrew Jones Oct. 22, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rhtp-funding-certificate-of-need-con-laws-hospitals-tennessee/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--l8t9BLWQ-IK32FiyD7SCdnVmzqGfhLtKfedzWucXoA5T1hymJDCoE1LknBzBZIXVZ1GVIFXDryPvheywVxllg3tF-LQ&_hsmi=445490976&utm_content=445490976&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Trump Dangles Rural Health Dollars To Push States To Change Hospital Laws The Trump administration has hinged federal funding for states on whether they end or loosen powerful but controversial laws that regulate the construction of new hospitals — with a handful of states poised to comply. This story also ran on CBS News. It can be republished for free.A chunk of the $50 billion available to states through the five-year Rural Health Transformation Program is partly contingent on policy commitments. The administration told states it would score their applications higher if they walked back their certificate of need, or CON, laws, which give a state approval authority over the expansion or construction of any healthcare facility. Six states indicated plans to revisit their laws in their applications. (Jones, 10/22)