After the White House Office of Management and Budget handed down a freeze on trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans Monday, many hospitals, clinics and healthcare centers wondered what would come next.
The White House rescinded its order Wednesday afternoon, but in the meantime Nebraska Rural Health Association executive director Jed Hansen said he fielded phone calls and emails from concerned healthcare leaders across the state.
“This felt like it came out of nowhere,” Hansen said.
The pause on funding meant clinical trials, recruitment and payment programs and rural veteran care were all left in limbo, he said.
“Federal funding supports so many areas of rural healthcare that a significant change really could create further issues for our rural hospitals, our clinics, provider teams and communities and the patients within the community,” Hansen said.
Hansen plans to spend time understanding how rural communities across the state use federal funding so he can continue to advocate for healthcare programming at a federal level. Some hospitals rely on loan repayment programs as a way to incentivize healthcare professionals to work while others need grant money to continue care for veterans in rural areas.
Though the needs may differ, Hansen said it’s important to consider that without federal dollars there is a disparity in care at rural hospitals compared to their urban counterparts.
“Without grant funding, we create disadvantages compared to our urban center,” Hansen said. “I just want to make sure that we have as healthy of communities as possible across our state, and one of those vehicles that allows for better access to healthcare, and for better healthcare in general in rural communities, are federal grant programs.”