*This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 1993.10.01 : Quality of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries Contact: Anne Verano (202) 690-6145 October 1, 1993 Federal grants totaling $22.5 million have been awarded to 496 small rural hospitals in 44 states and Puerto Rico, HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced today. These grants are to upgrade facilities and train professional staffs to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries, and others served by these hospitals. New grants for fiscal year 1993, totaling about $8.5 million, will go to 179 hospitals, while $14 million will be for second and third-year grants to 317 hospitals. The grants, which were made under the Rural Health Care Transition Grants Program, are administered by the Health Care Financing Administration, the HHS agency that oversees the Medicare program. "Grants from this program, which is now in its fifth year, are helping to improve the quality and accessibility of health care available to our citizens living in the nation's rural areas," Secretary Shalala said. Hospitals can use the grants to support various kinds of innovative capital projects. These include expanded outpatient and emergency services, and the conversion of inpatient facilities to alternative services. Funds are also available to train health-care professionals and to encourage physicians to practice in rural areas. HCFA Administrator Bruce C. Vladeck said, "These grants have have helped rural hospitals meet important goals, including recruitment of needed health professionals, expansion into new treatment areas and development of better patient care through enhanced communication or transportation." The grants program awards up to $50,000 annually for as many as three years to non-profit, acute-care rural hospitals with fewer than 100 beds. Prior to this year's awards, the program had distributed more than $70 million to rural hospitals over the last four years. The program was developed in consultation with the HHS Office of Rural Health Policy, the American Hospital Association, the National Rural Health Association, the National Governors' Association and the National Association of Counties. A state-by-state list of the grant awards is attached. ATTACHMENT NEW AND CONTINUING RURAL HEALTH CARE TRANSITION GRANT AWARDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993* Alabama $584,688 Alaska 250,000 Arizona 438,100 Arkansas 392,454 California 392,466 Colorado 796,438 Florida 250,000 Georgia 250,000 Idaho 349,278 Illinois 491,750 Indiana 150,000 Iowa 1,573,645 Kansas 733,189 Kentucky 434,434 Louisiana 300,000 Maine 350,000 Maryland 100,000 Michigan 449,629 Minnesota 1,546,976 Mississippi 336,718 Missouri 779,050 Montana 624,445 Nebraska 1,101,068 Nevada 440,000 New Hampshire 194,800 New Mexico 563,299 New York 288,676 North Carolina 350,000 North Dakota 911,052 Ohio 100,000 Oklahoma 540,007 Oregon 300,000 Pennsylvania 150,000 South Carolina 150,000 South Dakota 1,181,412 Tennessee 449,525 Texas 1,785,840 Utah 149,919 Vermont 99,500 Virginia 242,877 Washington 384,584 West Virginia 399,500 Wisconsin 798,837 Wyoming 263,353 Puerto Rico 50,000 TOTAL $22,467,509 * Eligible hospitals filed applications for new grants in fiscal year 1993 in all states except Hawaii, Massachusetts and Utah. Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Rhode Island have no eligible rural hospitals.