Will the Rural Health Transformation Fund Deliver?

Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News to the pod to discuss the Rural Health Transformation Fund, highlighting how it aims to improve infrastructure and access in rural communities amid ongoing challenges like hospital closures, workforce shortages, and Medicaid cuts. To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Fund, join us on June 8 for a free event featuring Kate Sapra and Katherine Ornstein highlighting state initiatives focusing on improving care for older adults ( https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1... ). Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care ( https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1... ) is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert. Related Links: Rural Health Payout Series ( https://kffhealthnews.org/series/rura... ) (KFF Health News) Rural America at a Glance ( https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/fi... ) (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Federal Budget Cuts Won’t Hit All Hospitals Equally: How States Can Better Analyze Hospital And Health System Financial Data ( https://www.healthaffairs.org/content... ) (Health Affairs Forefront) Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter ( https://share.hsforms.com/26dGfZSq8Sj... ) to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events. Health Affairs This Week Episode 251 June 5, 2026 ★ Episode details: https://share.transistor.fm/s/46229b39 ★ Additional episodes: http://www.healthaffairs.org