MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Department of Health has been awarded more than 193 million dollars in federal funding to support rural health care across the state.

The money comes from the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program, funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and recognizes Minnesota’s plan to strengthen and stabilize rural health care delivery.

The funding will support new technology to bring care closer to home, improve outcomes for chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, and expand the rural health care workforce through education and training.

Health Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham says the funding comes at a crucial time as rural communities face growing access and funding challenges.

Implementation is expected to begin in early 2026.