COUNTERPOINT | Rural health funding isn’t a handout — it’s a lifeline

Guest column by Tim Rave, South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations

Recent commentary has unfairly characterized the new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund as a “slush fund” for large hospital systems. That view misrepresents both the intent and the reality of rural health care — particularly in states like South Dakota, where access to care remains both fragile and essential.

As discussions continue around the Rural Health Transformation Fund, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. This is a one-time, five-year investment serving the entire nation. Hospital systems aren’t the problem — Big Pharma earned more in profits last year alone than the total amount of this fund, while rural hospitals are fighting every day just to keep their doors open.

VIEWPOINT | Hospital costs reflect legitimate value — not dishonesty

VIEWPOINT | South Dakotans are paying the price for rising hospital costs