New York State received $212 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to strengthen rural health care systems across 47 counties out of 62 on Dec. 29, 2025, and Broome County was selected to participate in the program.
The New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald joined the Broome County Director of Public Health Olivia Catalano and Broome County Medical Director Dr. Lazarus Gehring on July 1 to announce details for the first funding opportunity for the five-year Rural Health Transformation Program.
Catalano said the goal of the program is to strengthen rural health care by “leveraging local assets, fostering regional partnerships and utilizing statewide infrastructure.”
Over the five-year period, approved states that applied for the program will receive $10 billion annually based on their application and rural data such as population, uncompensated care, proportion of rural facilities, percentage of hospitals receiving Medicare DSH, frontier areas and percentage of the population living in rural areas.
The application window for the Rural Community Health Integration initiative has been extended to July 14 to access a portion of the $76.1 million that is available for this year. McDonald said the “compressed deadline” is because funding for this program does not roll over into the next funding period.
What are the three main areas of focus RCHI applicants must address?
Gehring said the difference between rural health care compared to larger suburban and metropolitan areas leaves patients in rural areas “to navigate a system that is completely siloed.”
According to Gehring, two zip codes within Broome County have a measles vaccine rate lower than 60% for children under the age of 5 and there were two deaths linked to meningitis — a “vaccine preventable” illness, he said — in the last year and a half.
Gehring believes these statistics prove there are gaps in access and education among residents which also tie into the fractured systems in place like food accessibility and housing stability.
“This program isn’t about building buildings; it’s more about building relationships than anything else,” Gehring said.
How will the Rural Community Health Integration initiative change rural health care?
“Public health partnership is essential in this grant,” Catalano said. “Every county should work closely with their county health department to brainstorm, submit the application and work to meet the needs of their community.”
Who can apply for the Rural Community Health Program?
Applications for the Rural Community Health Integration initiative can be submitted via email to rchi@health.ny.gov.
Visit health.ny.gov to learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at KCGrant@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Broome County eligible for millions in new rural health funding
Reporting by Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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By Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin | USA TODAY Network
