If we are going to grow the population and attract new businesses to the region, we must improve the quality of healthcare available to the residents of Kent County.

A Historic Window is Open Right Now

CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) just announced a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, with all 50 states receiving awards. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards averaging $200 million. Maryland specifically secured $168 million in federal funding for the first year of this five-year program, aimed at strengthening and modernizing health care in rural areas. This is the single biggest federal rural health investment in decades — and Kent County should be positioned to capture its fair share.

Maryland’s Rural Health Transformation Funding (Federal → State → Local)

The Maryland Department of Health will closely partner with other state agencies and rural stakeholders to shape, implement, and evaluate program strategies. This means now is the time to advocate directly to the Maryland Department of Health to ensure Kent County’s needs — specifically women’s and geriatric health — are written into the state’s implementation plan.

As your commissioner, I will formally advocate for the hospital to be designated as a priority recipient and engage the Maryland Hospital Association and Upper Shore Regional Health leadership to make sure that the hospital in Chestertown stays open and has enhanced services. It is a priority as our population begins to grow again to provide obstetrics services at the hospital. It is important for our county’s young families to have the option of having their children born right here in Kent County.

Targeted Women’s Health Funding

The hospital already has infrastructure here to support women’s health. The Eleanor and Ethel Leh Women’s Center opened in October 2013 thanks to community donors and the hospital now houses one of the most advanced MRI machines on the Eastern Shore, equipped with a breast coil funded by the Pink Polar Bear Golf Club to enhance breast cancer detection.

Building on that foundation, specific funding avenues include:

• Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC): Since its inception, the CHRC has awarded 866 grants totaling $291.7 million through its Calls for Proposals, supporting programs in every jurisdiction in Maryland.
• Federal Title X (Family Planning) and Maternal and Child Health Block Grant — both flow through the Maryland Department of Health and can support women’s services at rural hospitals.
• Rural Health Transformation Priority Areas explicitly include women’s health. If the hospital fills essential care gaps like women’s health or chronic disease management, advocates should push to have those services explicitly included in Maryland’s state application.

Geriatric Health Funding

Kent County has a significantly older population than the state average — a strong case for geriatric investment. Key avenues:

• Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program — supports Critical Access Hospitals and can fund quality improvement in geriatric care.
• Area Agency on Aging (AAoA) partnerships — the Mid-Shore area AAoA can co-fund programs that bridge hospital-to-home care for seniors.
• Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative (IHI/John A. Hartford Foundation) — a national certification program that brings grant support and national recognition. Pursuing “Age-Friendly Hospital” designation would be a strong advocacy platform.
• CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models — particularly the ACO REACH model for rural and underserved populations, which improves geriatric care coordination and generates savings reinvested locally.

Maryland Loan Repayment Programs offer loan repayment assistance for primary care physicians, PAs, nurses, and nursing support staff who agree to practice in underserved areas of Maryland. Recruiting OB/GYNs and geriatricians is a chronic gap — this program is an immediate tool we can use to address this problem.