Trump Administration Announces $209 Million to Expand Advanced Medical Care, Maternal Telehealth, and Cancer Prevention Across Rural Iowa

This federal investment will bring advanced surgical capabilities to rural hospitals, connect patients with maternal specialists through telehealth, and modernize health information sharing across Iowa

Today, the Trump Administration announced more than $209 million in Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding being put to work to strengthen healthcare delivery across rural Iowa through the state’s Healthy Hometowns initiative. This investment will support expanded clinical and maternal health services, rural workforce development, cancer prevention and screening, EMS and mobile health, and technology and infrastructure modernization across Iowa. Iowa has committed its full $209 million in funding to improving healthcare in rural communities across the state.

This transformational investment will equip rural hospitals with modern technology, including robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery capabilities, and expand specialty care through Iowa’s first Maternal-Fetal Medicine Telehealth Network. Early implementation has already included seven major medical equipment installations supporting 44 advanced procedures. Funding is also expanding the rural healthcare workforce, cancer prevention and screening, EMS technology, and health information exchange tools connecting more than 100 facilities across Iowa.

The Rural Health Transformation Program is expanding access to quality healthcare, regardless of a patient’s zip code, and equipping first responders with the lifesaving resources they need when every second counts. This funding will make critical investments to strengthen rural healthcare, expand access to lifesaving services, and bring modern technology to communities across Iowa.

“President Trump understands that every American deserves high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home. We are giving states the flexibility to build solutions around the people they serve, while demanding accountability for results. That is how we strengthen rural health, improve the lives of patients and families, and Make America Healthy Again.”

“President Trump made a historic commitment to rural America, and these investments are turning that commitment into better care for patients in communities across Iowa,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “This is what rural health transformation should look like: federal investment that is putting patients first, driving lasting improvements and expanding healthcare for the hardworking Americans who call these communities home.”