Harney District Hospital positioned to benefit as Oregon secures $197.3 million in second-year rural health funding
By Mindy McKerrall on Friday, November 13th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
Official response and confirmed impact
Harney District Hospital (HDH) and rural healthcare providers across Harney County are poised to build on major recent investments after the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded Oregon another $197.3 million for the second year of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
According to OHA, the 2027 funding will largely be used to sustain and advance momentum on community-driven projects that received grants during the program’s inaugural year in 2026.
In Burns, Harney District Hospital has already emerged as a key recipient and regional partner under the first-year rollout:
Statewide, OHA has distributed first-year RHTP grants to more than 300 organizations, including rural hospitals, clinics, federally qualified health centers, community mental health programs, and Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes.
The initiatives focus on expanding access to maternity, primary, and behavioral healthcare, growing the rural workforce, and improving chronic disease management.
Incident background
The announcement, made this week by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), brings Oregon’s combined two-year federal investment under the program to roughly $394.5 million.
