Harrisburg, PA – To combat challenges facing Pennsylvania’s rural health care providers, Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal makes common-sense, strategic investments to alleviate ongoing workforce recruitment, retention, and infrastructure issues many hospitals struggle with.
Pennsylvania is facing shortages of health care professionals, particularly in rural communities, where there is only one primary care physician for every 522 residents. Comparatively, there is one primary care physician in urban areas for every 222 residents. That means rural Pennsylvanians, who already travel farther distances to see their doctors, also have less access to health care.
Governor Shapiro is doubling down on his support for rural health care workers in the 2025-26 budget, proposing $10 million to specifically provide support to rural hospitals that are continuously subjected to changing health care markets and that have been forced to cut or shutter services. This investment will also leverage an additional $25.1 million in federal matching funds, bringing total support to $35.1 million. The 2025-26 proposed budget further invests $5 million to expand the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program offering loan repayment for health care providers that serve in rural communities.
Health care professionals have voiced their support for Governor Shapiro’s efforts to invest and improve care in Pennsylvania’s rural communities.
Click here to watch Brion Lieberman, Geisinger Chief Human Resources Officer and click here to watch Dr. Trina Abla, Penn Highlands Healthcare System Chief Medical Officer talk about the importance of investing in rural health, or read the transcripts below.
Brion Lieberman, Geisinger Chief Human Resources Officer, talks about the importance of investing in rural health
TRANSCRIPT – Brion Lieberman
“How do you get people interested in health care careers? You need to give them opportunities, you need to show them what that would be like.
“But, a big barrier to going beyond high school is the cost of education.
“If there's loan repayment that exists for going to school in those types of professions — that would be a really good incentive.
“Of course, we always need more doctors. But it isn't just about doctors. we need more nurses, RNs, LPNs. We need the nursing assistant type of role which is either nursing assistant by title, or medical assistant or certified medical assistant.
“So, it isn't just about going to school for a 2-year or 4-year degree. It could be a certification.
“And, to get that certification, that costs money. That could be a barrier to people as well.”
Dr. Trina Abla, Penn Highlands Healthcare System Chief Medical Officer, talks about the importance of investing in rural health
TRANSCRIPT - Dr. Trina Abla
“It is critically important to Penn Highlands Healthcare that we have the support of the Shapiro Administration. We are facing unprecedented financial challenges to be able to operate the hospitals we serve in the rural communities we serve.
“From a reimbursement standpoint, simply put, we do not receive enough to cover the costs of labor, supplies and services that we provide to these communities.
“Not only do we provide the health care for the communities, but in many of these communities, we are the economic driver. We are the largest employer. And, we are critical to the vitality, and continued vitality, of the rural communities we serve.”
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