For millions of North Carolinians, access to medical care is often limited by distance. Rural hospitals operate on thin margins, physician shortages persist, and families are driving farther for appointments. Yet the state's rural population—roughly 3 million strong, the second-largest in America—faces staggering shortages: 93 of 100 counties lack sufficient primary care, and more than 90 lack mental health professionals.
Historic Federal Investment
Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) points to a solution. Last year, he voted for the Working Families Tax Cuts, which established the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. It was one of the largest federal commitments to rural healthcare in American history, and North Carolina has already been awarded more than $213 million for the program's first year.
The Trump administration recently announced $20 million to expand telehealth and modernize healthcare technology across North Carolina. For smaller hospitals and medical practices, that means opportunities to replace outdated systems, improve patient records, strengthen cybersecurity, and connect people with specialists they might otherwise have to travel hours to see.
Behavioral Health and Emergency Services
Additional investments are targeting some of the most difficult gaps in rural care. More than $17 million has been announced for behavioral health services, including three new mental health clinics, expanded opioid treatment in five counties, and mobile crisis teams in six more. The administration has also announced funding to strengthen rural emergency medical services and expand access to care through schools.
For a patient in Yadkin County who needs a specialist, Harrigan says the program's investments could mean receiving care closer to home. The congressman's column underscores a sustained federal commitment to putting medical expertise within reach of rural communities.
