State officials and lawmakers visited Roanoke on Friday to hear from residents about the region’s most pressing health challenges. The meeting marked the final stop in a 12-city tour designed to inform Virginia’s application to the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative created under the federal spending bill passed in July.
Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, and Dels. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County, and Chris Obenshain, R-Montgomery County, joined Lanette Walker, who serves as the deputy secretary of health care finance in the governor’s office, at the meeting. Cheryl Roberts, Virginia’s Medicaid director, and other state agency staff have also participated in the sessions.
They are part of the Rural Health Care Transformation initiative, launched by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to assess community health needs across the state. Southwest and Southside localities that were part of the tour include Norton, Bristol, Wytheville, Danville and Lynchburg.
The Rural Health Transformation Program allocates $10 billion annually between 2026 and 2030 to address rural health care needs across the country. Half of the funding will be divided evenly among the states that apply by December 2025, regardless of their population. The other half will be awarded competitively by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services based on need and quality of application.
The application period opened Monday, and states have until Nov. 5 to submit a cohesive proposal that identifies specific rural health challenges and possible solutions, according to a press release from the federal Health and Human Services agency. It is a one-time application for the whole four-year program. The applications will be approved or denied by CMS by Dec. 1.
The program is intended to offset recent cuts made to Medicaid and other health services, particularly in rural areas where hospitals and clinics often rely heavily on funding that comes from the federal government. However, the money cannot be used to replace reimbursement from Medicaid or other insurance providers.
At Friday’s session, Sean Pressman, CEO of LewisGale Hospital Pulaski, urged officials to keep these reimbursement cuts in mind when crafting Virginia’s proposal, stating that small rural hospitals will likely be at risk of closure.
“Even though the impetus of the $50 billion was initially around the risks associated with rural hospital closures, it has taken on a new form. … I would just ask that the Department of Health and the governor find innovative ways to assist local hospitals,” Pressman said. “Because … when your child is sick, and you need emergency care and your local hospital is closed and the next ER is an hour away, that’s when it hits home.”
Speakers from universities, food pantries and other organizations highlighted a range of concerns, including maternal health deserts, limited dental access, workforce shortages and the spread of treatable diseases such as hepatitis C.
Walker said that public comments, questions and ideas from community members not associated with an organization can also be submitted via email at ruraltransformation@governor.virginia.gov.
Proposals must be submitted to the state by close of business Monday, Walker said.
