Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program
This program offers financial aid to small rural hospitals with under 50 beds and low Medicare wage index to help them stay open and maintain essential healthcare services.
Funder: Health Resources and Services Administration
Due Dates: July 27, 2026: Full application deadline (applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET)
Funding Amounts: Approximately $148,000 per award (formula-based, one-year period); total program funding $24,750,000; ~167 awards expected.
Summary: Direct financial assistance for eligible rural hospitals to maintain health care providers and prevent avoidable closures.
Key Information: No cost-sharing required; strict eligibility based on bed count, wage index, and rural status.
Description
This program provides direct, formula-based financial assistance to eligible rural hospitals that face structural payment disadvantages, with the goal of maintaining essential health care services and preventing avoidable hospital closures. Funding is intended to support the maintenance of health care providers in small rural hospitals with low Medicare wage index values, helping ensure sustained access to quality care in rural communities.
