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Rural areas brace for Medicaid cuts, but also influx of temporary funding

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published February 19, 2026 at 12:03 PM EST

President Trump’s massive spending plan, signed into law last year, makes major cuts to Medicaid. According to a health policy research nonprofit, rural areas are expected to lose around $140 billion. But the law will also send states $50 billion over five years to transform rural health.

Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd looks at the expected impact with Sarah Jane Tribble, chief rural correspondent for KFF health news, and Dr. Kia Parsi, executive director at the Texas A&M Rural and Community Health Institute.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Here & Now Newsroom