Montana Prepares to Funnel $233 Million into Rural Health Projects

More than a hundred health policy wonks filled an auditorium on the campus of Montana State University on Thursday, January 22, 2026. They were there to try to understand how Montana’s Rural Health Transformation Program — the deluge of federal funding that could amount to more than $1 billion over five years — will actually take shape in just a few short months.

The vibe was somewhat buzzy, as advisory committee stakeholders from Miles City to Pablo talked about their ideas for spending the state’s massive first-year grant of more than $233 million. Many attendees were also plainly bemused ab...