Texas Rural Health Grant Plans Reach $224.6 Million as State Adds $87 Million
A new $87.2 million round brings the state's first-year grant plans to $224.6 million, all of it federal money, with most of the five-year total still an estimate.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission plans to award another $87.2 million in Rural Texas Strong grants to 129 rural healthcare providers, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday. The agency’s updated list puts first-year grant plans at $224.6 million, equal to about 80 percent of the $281.3 million Texas received for the program’s first year.
The new money goes to three programs, according to the governor’s office. “Make Rural Texans Healthy Again” helps rural hospital districts address chronic conditions. “Next Generation of the Small Town Doctor and Team” helps communities recruit, train and keep physicians, emergency medical workers and other health care staff. “Infrastructure and Capital Investments for Rural Texas” replaces aging equipment and improves existing facilities.
“Rural Texas communities deserve access to top-notch, reliable care,” Abbott said.
What the list shows
The commission’s list, dated October 29, carries 445 entries at “Intent to Award” status. Their first-year amounts total $224.6 million, and their full award amounts total $680.6 million.
Intent to award is not an award. The commission says a grant is not considered awarded until a contract has been fully executed, and the list marks 204 of the 445 entries as executed. Those 204 entries carry $402.3 million in full award amounts. The commission said it will keep announcing awards weekly as it reviews applications.
Where the money comes from
The money is federal. Rural Texas Strong is 100 percent funded through the Rural Health Transformation Program, run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the governor’s office says that funding is contingent on meeting all program requirements.
Texas expects an estimated $1.4 billion over five years. Only the first year is set. The commission says all future funding figures are estimates because the federal agency has not issued final budget awards for the remaining years.
Every dollar on the list comes from Washington, and Washington has awarded one year of the five.
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