The Rural Health Innovation Act of 2026 establishes two grant programs to improve healthcare access in rural areas. The first program, called the Rural Health Center Innovation Awards, provides grants to rural health clinics and Federally qualified health centers to offer walk-in urgent care, emergency triage services, and air or ambulance transport coordination, with funding up to $750,000 in the first year and $500,000 annually thereafter for five years. The second program, the Rural Health Department Enhancement Program, awards grants to rural public health departments to provide emergency services, primary care, and other emergency department-like services, with funding capped at $500,000 per year for five years. The bill authorizes $25 million annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for each program, totaling $250 million over five years. The legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report back to Congress within three years on program outcomes, including impacts on access to care, healthcare costs, and utilization of rural health services.
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