U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) held her third Rural Hospital Roundtable on Tuesday at the Washington County Hospital and Clinics. 

This roundtable was with Iowa HHS and leaders from 13 hospitals from across southeast Iowa to discuss the Rural Health Transformation Program, and the impact it will have in Iowa.

The Rural Health Transformation grants program was part of the Big Beautiful Bill Act and is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It allocates $50 billion nationwide from federal fiscal years 2026 through 2030, and $10 billion annually after that.   

Healthy Hometowns is the state’s submission to the Rural Health Transformation Program. The proposal is aimed at building a high-quality, sustainable system of care that improves the health, well-being, and quality of life in rural communities across the state. Iowa received $209 million for the first year of implementation. If fully awarded, the state could receive $200 million per project year period which would be a total of $1 billion over the five-year grant. 

Iowa is the first state in the nation to award funding for its project initiatives.