Notice2026-18425
Notice of Supplemental Funding, Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 10, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentHealth Resources and Services Administration
Abstract
HRSA is providing additional fiscal year 2026 funding under the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program using the program's established funding methodology, including a baseline increase for all recipients and an additional adjustment for states with newly designated Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). This funding will support state efforts to strengthen CAHs, improve quality and performance, and sustain access to essential rural health care services.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 174 (Thursday, September 10, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 174 (Thursday, September 10, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57619-57620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18425]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Notice of Supplemental Funding, Medicare Rural Hospital
Flexibility Program
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice of supplemental funding.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: HRSA is providing additional fiscal year 2026 funding under
the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program using the
program's established funding methodology, including a baseline
increase for all recipients and an additional adjustment for states
with newly designated Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). This funding
will support state efforts to strengthen CAHs, improve quality and
performance, and sustain access to essential rural health care
services.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheena Johnson, Deputy Division
Director, Hospital State Division, Federal Office of Rural Health
Policy, HRSA, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2251484d4a4c514d4c624a5051430c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a69707572746975745a7268697b347d756c">[email protected]</span></a> and (872) 271-6370.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Intended Recipients of the Award: 2 Flex Program Recipients.
Amount of Non-competitive awards: 2 awards totaling $620,742.
Project Period: September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027.
Assistance Listing Number: 93.241.
Award Instrument: Cooperative Agreements.
E3.Authority:
42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(g)(1)-(2) (<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title18/1820.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title18/1820.htm</a>).
Table 1--Recipients With Funding Increases Exceeding 25 Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Award
Grant number Award recipient name State amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U2WRH33293............................. Alabama Department of Public AL........................ $146,403
Health.
[[Page 57620]]
U2WRH33313............................. Texas Department of Agriculture TX........................ 474,339
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Justification: HRSA received increased funding in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2026, (<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ75/pdf/PLAW-119publ75.pdf">https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ75/pdf/PLAW-119publ75.pdf</a>), H.R. 7148, for the Medicare Rural
Hospital Flexibility Program. The Flex Program supports states in
strengthening CAHs, improving quality and performance, supporting
financial and operational improvement activities, and sustaining access
to essential rural health care services. For fiscal year 2026, HRSA
will apply a 2.5 percent funding increase to all 45 Flex Program
recipients and an additional increase of 5 percent for each newly
designated CAH in a state. This approach provides all Flex recipients
with a baseline increase while directing additional resources to states
with expanded program responsibilities due to CAH growth.
As a result of this increase, the two recipients listed in Table 1
will receive additional funding due to the number of newly designated
CAHs in their states. The additional funds will provide additional
support to strengthen CAHs, improve quality and performance, support
financial and operational improvement activities, and sustain access to
essential health care services in rural communities.
Thomas J. Engels,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2026-18425 Filed 9-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 10, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.