Take a short survey to help determine how funding for rural health will be spent

Editor’s note: HR 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes funding for rural health. If you live in the Manchester area, you are considered a rural resident, whether you live in the City of Manchester or one of the townships. This is your opportunity to have a voice on where that funding will go in Michigan!

from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) invites you to take a brief survey to help shape how Michigan prioritizes funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, which is part of H.R. 1, which was signed into law Friday, July 4.

The Rural Health Transformation Program aims to increase access to rural health providers while improving outcomes for individuals living in rural communities. The $50 billion grant program runs from Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 through FY 2030, with $10 billion allocated per year across the 50 states.

We are seeking input from rural health providers, community partners, Medicaid beneficiaries, and rural residents to guide how this onetime funding can best support:

• Increased sustainability and growth for rural providers to serve their communities, especially with other federal funding cuts being implemented.
• Rural workforce recruitment, training, and retention.
• Improved health outcomes and access for Medicaid beneficiaries and residents in rural communities.

Please complete this survey by 5 pm, EST, Monday, September 22, 2025.

Take the survey here: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/assistance-programs/medicaid/rural-health-transformation-program

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.