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Policy & oversight

North Carolina Receives 20 Million Dollars in Federal Rural Health Grants for Telehealth and Health Technology Upgrades

The September 30 announcement directs funds toward telehealth expansion, electronic health record upgrades, and cybersecurity at rural facilities that serve Medicare and Medicaid patients.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamSeptember 30, 2026

The Trump administration announced on September 30, 2026 that North Carolina will receive 20 million dollars through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The grants are directed at rural facilities across the state.

Under the awards, rural providers can use the funds to expand telehealth so patients can connect with care remotely, upgrade electronic health records to improve data accuracy and care coordination, strengthen cybersecurity protections for patient health information, and adopt clinical decision support technology that helps clinicians make informed treatment decisions.

North Carolina receives 20 million dollars in federal rural health grants for telehealth and technology upgrades at rural facilities.

North Carolina received a separate Rural Health Transformation Program award earlier in September for 1.25 million dollars to expand school-based health centers. Together the two rounds reflect the broad scope of the program, which was authorized at 50 billion dollars under legislation signed in 2025 and is being distributed to all 50 states. CMS manages the program at the federal level.

For Medicare beneficiaries in rural parts of North Carolina, the practical effect depends on which local providers receive specific grants. Beneficiaries who rely on rural clinics, critical access hospitals, or federally qualified health centers are among those the program is designed to reach over time as facilities deploy the funds.

In plain words

The federal government gave North Carolina 20 million dollars to improve health care in rural areas. The money can be used to expand telehealth visits, update electronic medical records, and protect health information from cyber attacks. This is part of a larger national program giving rural health providers money to modernize their services. Medicare patients in rural parts of the state may see improvements over time as local providers put the funds to work.

Understand the basics first

Source: CMS
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