Mississippi rural health grants concentrate more than $28 million among two hospital groups
An analysis by Mississippi Today found that Memorial Health System and a south-central Mississippi hospital consortium received more than a quarter of the first $104 million awarded under a rural healthcare programme. The grants will support 167 projects, including technology upgrades, diagnostic services, telehealth and cybersecurity.
Two hospital groups received more than a quarter of the first $104 million awarded under Mississippi’s rural healthcare transformation programme, according to an analysis by Mississippi Today. Memorial Health System, based in Gulfport, received more than $15 million for 12 projects. A consortium of hospitals in south-central Mississippi received more than $13 million for seven projects.
Together, the two recipients accounted for over a quarter of the grants announced by Governor Tate Reeves on September 14. The awards will fund 167 projects across the state. Planned work includes improving cybersecurity, replacing outdated computers, expanding diagnostic testing and health screenings, creating new service lines and telehealth programmes, introducing artificial-intelligence software and installing backup generators.
The initial awards represent more than half of the nearly $206 million allocated to Mississippi during the first year of the five-year, national $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The programme was designed to help rural hospitals affected by federal spending cuts approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025. Richard Roberson, president and chief executive of the Mississippi Hospital Association, said disparities had emerged in the areas and institutions receiving funding.
Reeves said awards were not based on regional targets, but on individual applications assessed on their merits. An independent review panel scored proposals according to factors including the scale of the healthcare need, implementation plans, budgets and methods for tracking results. The Mississippi State Department of Health then reviewed the panel’s recommendations.
Memorial said its grants would support a mobile MRI service, computer and information-technology upgrades, diagnostic and imaging access, and virtual primary, behavioural and chronic disease care in five counties. Its chief executive, Kent Nicaud, said the organisation had designed the proposals to address local needs and produce longer-term improvements. He denied discussing the applications with Reeves or state agencies.
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