Funding North Carolina’s Rural Healthcare Workforce, Before and After OBBBA

Summary North Carolina’s (NC) healthcare workforce shortages have been a major concern, as geographic health disparities become more pronounced and health outcomes decline in rural communities compared to those in urban areas. Rural residents face severe challenges accessing primary and specialized care and behavioral health services, especially in counties designated as Health Professionals Shortage Areas (HPSAs). NC will continue to experience these challenges as its overall population grows. Historically, NC had to pivot and reimagine policies and programs to improve its workforce crisis with federal assistance. Medicaid expansion and transformation, provider incentives, international labor recruitment, and innovative federal funding sources helped mitigate critical provider gaps and enhance access to care. However, in the wake of state budget challenges and fiscal restraints, persistent provider differentials remain. This article discusses how federal assistance has impacted the rural healthcare workforce crisis in North Carolina prior to the passage of the H.R.1 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) of 2025 (Congress.gov 2025). It also examines OBBBA’s policy provisions and NC’s plan for workforce improvements with the $213 million funding awarded through the Rural Health Transformation Program.