Congressman Juan Ciscomani is leading a bipartisan initiative to secure more federal funding for Arizona’s rural healthcare system. In a letter addressed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Ciscomani and four other members of Arizona’s congressional delegation advocated for fair allocation of funds through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Ciscomani stated, “We are sending this letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz because we want to continue to send a clear message about the importance of rural healthcare in Arizona. Our rural hospitals and clinics are lifelines for families. Access to the Rural Health Transformation Fund is critical to addressing the unique challenges they face and ensuring our healthcare infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of families, workers, and seniors across our state. We cannot afford to leave any Arizona community behind.”
The letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, as well as Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Greg Stanton (AZ-04). The lawmakers emphasized that CMS should use metrics that reflect the realities of rural life in Arizona.
“Arizona’s rural population is very dispersed, averaging 7.69 people per square mile. Arizona is the sixth-largest state in land area. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), specifically the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), uses a detailed, multi-criteria definition to determine which areas are rural. Seven of Arizona’s fifteen counties are classified as 100 percent rural. Each of Arizona’s counties contains census tracts that meet HRSA’s definition of rural,” they wrote.
They also noted: “Our rural populations face many challenges, such as access to healthcare — but also access to affordable childcare, housing, and career and educational opportunities. Incomes in these areas tend to be lower, and there are higher rates of unemployment. These issues compound their healthcare challenges.”
“The healthcare needs of our rural communities are great, and it is critically important to us that Arizona gets its fair share of Rural Health Transformation Program dollars. An assessment conducted by the University of North Carolina resulted in a finding that Arizona ranked number 36 among the 50 states when ranked according to the criteria in the RHTP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This is not reflective of Arizona’s landscape and reality.”
The letter concluded: “The needs in our rural communities have never been greater. The State of Arizona has worked collaboratively with Arizona’s rural hospitals, clinics, and behavioral health providers to ensure that it has built a program that meets the needs of Arizona’s rural communities, but it cannot do so if it does not receive the funds it requires.”
“Arizona is one of the most rural states in America. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for ensuring that Arizona receives at least $200 million per year over five years. Given the vast area, significant needs of the State, and rurality of so many Arizonans, Arizona should receive much more than that in order to adequately address the significant needs of its rural communities.”
Juan Ciscomani currently serves as U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 6th district after replacing Ann Kirkpatrick in 2023.
In recent elections, Ciscomani defeated Kirsten Engel twice: first in 2022 with just over half the vote share at 50.7%, then again in 2024 with a similar margin at 50%.
To read more about this effort or view their full letter click HERE.
