01/06/2026
Colorado is receiving about $203 million a year through the Rural Hospital Transformation Program — and that funding helps. But rural hospitals like Lincoln Health nationwide are facing roughly $1.2 TRILLION in cuts over 10 years, with only about $50 billion added back. That’s like having $10,000 taken from your checking account and being handed $50 back.
The path forward is simple:
• Rural hospitals must have appropriate representation on the Advisory Committee.
• Funding meant for rural care must not be diverted to administrative overhead.
• Decisions must reflect the lived realities of rural Colorado.
Watch tonight’s 9NEWS (KUSA)story to understand what’s at stake — and why how this money is managed matters just as much as how much is awarded.
Rural hospitals are set to benefit from $200 million in federal funding each year for the next five years, but Colorado is losing $1 billion in Medicaid funding.