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Policy & oversight

Sixty-Eight Texas Rural Hospital Districts Receive 51 Million Dollars in Federal Grants for Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention

The award reaches 68 rural hospital districts and authorities focused on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness, and is separate from an earlier Texas grant targeting AI-enabled telehealth.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamSeptember 28, 2026

The federal government announced on September 28, 2026, that 68 rural hospital districts and authorities in Texas will share 51 million dollars in Rural Health Transformation Program grants aimed at chronic disease prevention and nutrition.

The grants address four priority areas. Community-based chronic disease prevention and wellness programs target diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illness, and obesity. Technology-enabled care includes telehealth platforms, digital health tools, and connections between rural patients and distant specialists. Rural workforce investments fund recruitment strategies and expanded care teams. Infrastructure modernization covers equipment upgrades, cybersecurity improvements, and facility enhancements for rural hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, behavioral health providers, public health offices, and emergency services.

68 rural Texas hospital districts share 51 million dollars to tackle diabetes, heart disease, and chronic illness prevention.

This funding is separate from an earlier Texas Rural Health Transformation Program award of 281.3 million dollars directed at artificial intelligence-enabled telehealth. Texas, because of its geographic size and large rural population, has received multiple rounds of grants targeting distinct aspects of care delivery.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are among the most common chronic conditions in rural Texas. Medicare beneficiaries, who make up a large share of rural populations, are among those expected to benefit from expanded chronic disease management programs funded through this award.

In plain words

The federal government gave 51 million dollars to 68 rural hospital groups in Texas. The money pays for programs to prevent and manage diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease. It also covers telehealth tools and equipment upgrades. This is a separate award from an earlier Texas grant for AI telehealth. Medicare patients in rural Texas may have better access to chronic disease care as a result.

Source: CMS
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