Federal rural hospital grants now available to 295 counties that are in metro areas but lack urbanized areas of their own

"The Health Resources and Services Administration finalized this week its proposal to modify the list of geographic areas considered rural in an effort to extend grant eligibility for hospitals," Alia Paavola reports for Becker's Hospital Review. "The new definition of rural area now includes outlying metropolitan-statistical-area counties with no urbanized-area population. These counties are now eligible for rural health grant programs."

HRSA's Office of Federal Rural Health Policy, which oversees the grants, says the change adds 295 counties to the list of those meeting the criteria. The rule change applies to rural health grants that begin in fiscal year 2022. Click here to see if your county is now eligible for HRSA grants.