This year, Indiana will receive $206.9 million as part of the Growing Rural Opportunities for Well-being, or GROW, Health initiative. Over the next five years, Indiana is slated to receive $1 billion.
The program stems from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, funded by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. Congress passed the measure last year to account for losses in Medicaid funding.
Some health experts worry the funds will not be enough to offset the estimated $137 billion cut to Medicaid spending in rural areas over the next ten years.
To receive funding, different regions across Indiana have submitted GROW applications expressing individual needs. The Indiana Primary Health Care Association serves as a technical assistance provider for these regions.
Ben Harvey, CEO of IPHCA, wasn’t surprised that all regions submitted applications.
“You have a significant portion of the state, a significant portion of the population of the state, that lives in health professional shortage areas, medically underserved areas,” Harvey said.
According to a July 21 report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, 10 rural hospitals in Indiana are at risk of closing, another 5 are at immediate risk of closure. According to the report, rural hospitals are at risk because private insurance plans are paying hospitals less than what it costs to treat patients.
“We don't get the opportunity very often to highlight rural areas and to make change. And this is one of those opportunities,” Harvey said.
According to Harvey, regions may request funding to support medical innovation, or simply to purchase new equipment. He said that in the future, each region's application will be publicly available.
“There hasn't been as much investment or opportunity to do the types of things that this project gives the opportunity to do,” Harvey said. “So it's really important both from a public health perspective, a population health perspective, community perspective, and health in general, I think.”
The issue of retaining physicians in rural areas may also be addressed through the program. Clif Knight, Executive Vice President of the Indiana State Medical Association, said the GROW program could be a first step in growing healthcare programs in underserved areas.
“Having more opportunities for medical students and residents in training to get experience in rural communities would be another great outcome,” Knight said.
Grant applications are currently under review — regions may receive funding as soon as September.
Contact WFYI reporting intern Chloe White at cwhite@wfyi.org
