All 50 states have submitted applications for their share of a $50 billion pot of money to transform rural health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz said Thursday.

The application deadline was Wednesday for states to submit a detailed application for the first tranche of the five-year fund created to help rural providers offset the cuts to Medicaid and other health programs contained in the tax cut law.

"Each proposal must outline how states intend to expand access, enhance quality, and improve outcomes for patients through sustainable, state-driven innovation,” CMS said. Award decisions will be made by Dec. 31.

The fund was created under the One Big Beautiful Bill law passed this summer as a backstop against the nearly $1 trillion the law slashed

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