WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of republican U.S. representatives from several states sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., advocating that funds from the Rural Health Transformation Fund be fairly distributed to states led by democratic governors.
“As Republican Members of Congress from states with a Democrat Governor, we believe it is imperative that the program be implemented fairly so that funding is allocated specifically to rural healthcare providers, rather than diverted to urban centers that do not face the same challenges,” the representatives from Washington, California, Minnesota and Colorado wrote in a press release.
The funds are specifically allocated to support innovation in rural medicine and hospitals.
Half of the total funds are to be distributed equally amongst all states, but the other half is up to the discretion of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, led by Mehmet Oz.
“During the approval process of state applications, we urge HHS and CMS to ensure funds are distributed to rural communities with the greatest need, making rural America healthy again regardless of political affiliation,” the letter signed by the representatives says.
Many states led by democrats, such as Washington, have faced the withholding of federal funds for various political reasons in recent months, prompting dozens of lawsuits.
