Sen. Tim Scott applauds CMS’ second year of rural health transformation awards

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the following statement regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) announcement of $10 billion in second-year funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). “Access to high-quality healthcare should not depend on where a family lives,” said Sen. Scott. “I applaud CMS for its continued commitment to supporting rural hospitals, medical professionals, and patients. This investment will help make sure South Carolinians can get the care they need and that no community is left behind.” South Carolina will receive nearly $196 million to advance its state-developed plan to strengthen rural healthcare , with priorities ranging from chronic disease management and workforce development to expanded telehealth access and investments in modern technology and data. The RHTP was authorized through the Working Families Tax Cut Act in July 2025. The program provides $50 billion in funding over five years to all 50 states to improve rural health across the country. Background: Year one of RHTP provided more than $167 million for 228 projects across South Carolina. In 2025, Sen. Scott introduced the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act to continue rural health outreach services programs that were signed into law under President Trump in 2020. Three key programs would be reauthorized through fiscal year 2030: Rural Healthcare Services Grants, Rural Health Network Grants, and Small Healthcare Provider Quality Improvement Grants. Read the full list of RHTP awards here . ###