By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge ticked up in November in the latest sign that prices remain stubbornly elevated, while consumers spent at a healthy pace.

Related Articles

4 in 5 small businesses had cyberattacks last year and almost half of those were AI powered

US applications for jobless benefits inch up last week to a still-low 200,000

Consumer spending pushes US economy up 4.4% in third quarter, fastest in two years

US stocks climb again after Trump calls off his tariffs for Greenland

Trump’s Argentine ally welcomes a shipload of Chinese EVs for the first time

Consumer prices rose 2.8% in November from a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from a 2.7% annual pace in October. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices also increased 2.8% in November from a year ago, slightly higher than October’s 2.7%.

Consumer spending climbed 0.5% in November from the previous month, the report also showed, a solid increase that hits at an economy growing at a healthy pace in the final three months of last year.

The figures point to a mostly strong economy with inflation still elevated, but down sharply from a four-decade peak in June 2022. Hiring has slowed to a crawl, however, leaving job-seekers frustrated even as the unemployment rate stays low. Thursday’s figures suggest that the Federal Reserve will be less likely to reduce its key interest rate when it meets next week, a tact typically used if it is worried about a stumbling economy.

“Today’s data should reassure the Fed that the economy remains on a solid footing, despite a cooler labor market,” said James McCann, an economist at Edward Jones. “Indeed, there looks to be little urgency to cut rates at next week’s meeting, and the central bank could stay on hold for longer should growth remain robust into 2026 and inflation continue to run at above target rates.”

On a monthly basis prices, were milder: Both overall inflation and core inflation moved up just 0.2% in November from October. At that pace, over time inflation would move closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. Thursday’s data was delayed by the six-week government shutdown last fall.

The solid figures on consumer spending follow a separate report Thursday which showed that the economy expanded at a healthy 4.4% annual rate in the July-September quarter, the fastest growth in two years. Thursday’s data points to continued solid growth in the final quarter of 2025.

Stuck in ski traffic on Interstate 70. On board a five-hour flight (with a layover) to a sunny destination. During a road trip to the Midwest to see family for the holidays.

Heck, just toodling around the house doing laundry or washing dishes.

Those are just some of the many opportunities that life presents to listen to audiobooks, especially in Colorado’s colder months.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (Random House Audio)

Here are our favorites, starting with a Top 10 must-listen list, gathered from staff and readers alike.

No. 1: ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’

Author: George Saunders

Narrated by: The author, Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Lena Dunham, Bill Hader, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller and 155(!) others

Running time: 7 hours and 25 minutes

Plot: With the Civil War raging, Abraham Lincoln mourns his dead 11-year-old son, Willie, in a Georgetown cemetery, returning to the crypt to hold the boy’s body. With Willie’s spirit in a purgatory — a bardo, in Tibetan tradition — ghosts interact and quarrel while commenting on the grief-stricken scene and more.

Why you should love it: This groundbreaking novel is unlike anything else you’ve ever read. (Don’t worry if you find yourself getting a little lost at the beginning; there’s a lot going on and a multitude of characters. Stick with it, trust us!) And just look at that lineup of narrators! — Recommended by Barbara Ellis and LeAnna Efird; Audio Publishers Association 2018 audiobook of the year

No. 2: ‘Project Hail Mary’

Author: Andy Weir

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Running time: 16 hours and 10 minutes

Plot: Science teacher and biologist Ryland Grace is the unlikely hero who must save Earth from a sun-killing substance.

Why you should love it: “Project Hail Mary” is on a lot of online lists of best audiobooks. And the fact that it’s been made into a movie starring Ryan Gosling (scheduled for March 2026 release) should be enough to pique your interest. By the author of “The Martian.” — Recommended by LeAnna Efird, Andrea Walden-Morden and reddit.com reviewers; winner of the 2022 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year

No. 3: The Harry Potter boxed set (seven books)

Author: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Jim Dale (American version) and Stephen Fry (British version)

Running time: Varies, between 8 hours, 18 minutes (“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) and 27 hours, 2 minutes (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”). Totals: nearly 117 hours of listening for the American version and 124 hours for the British. (Heck, you could easily finish all seven by spring.)

Plots: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, flying cars, dastardly demons. Good vs. evil. Love conquers all. Oh, come on. Do we really have to tell you more? For shame.

Why you should love them: Harry Potter is a literary phenom, and even if you’ve already read the books and/or watched the films, you owe it to yourself to get the full experience. You can’t go wrong with either version: Jim Dale’s theatrics are a treat, while British actor Stephen Fry brings us into the wizarding world as Rowling intended. Full cast editions — featuring actors like Kiera Knightly as Dolores Umbridge and Kit Harington as Professor Lockhart — are now available for preorder. (But we find it difficult to believe they’ll be any better than the Fry/Dale versions.) — Recommended by Barbara Ellis, goodreads.com and libbylife.com reviewers

No. 4: The Murderbot Diaries (seven books)

The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells (Tordotcom/Recorded Books)

Author: Martha Wells

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free, plus a dramatized version

Running time: Varies, from 3 hours, 17 minutes (“All Systems Red”) to 4 hours, 24 minutes (“Fugitive Telemetry”)

Plot: In a future time, a “killer” security android takes out his governing module and goes rogue, watching space operas and weighing in on the vagaries of the human species while protecting — and actually getting to like — them. And they kinda like him, too.

Why you should love it: Timely, certainly, since it dwells on sentient robotics and artificial intelligence. But listen to it because you will quickly fall for the quirky robot who is on a journey of self-discovery. (Choose the Kevin R. Free versions over the dramatized readings.) — Recommended by Jonathan Shikes, Barbara Ellis, reddit.com reviewers

No. 5: ‘My Friends’

Author: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

Running time: 13 hours, 22 minutes

Plot: Four teens grow up in poverty, violence and neglect, forging a bond that lasts their lifetimes. Twenty-five years into the future, an 18-year-old girl will be saved by two of them.

Why you should love it: The writing, the character development, the flow, the pathos. It pulls you in quickly and never lets go. Everything you want out of a novel. This is Fredrik Backman (author of “A Man Called Ove” and “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry”) at his best. — Recommended by Barbara Ellis and audible.com

<img loading="lazy" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20101109__20101110_A02_ND10FEYSHELF2p1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1" alt="Tina Fey, arriving Tuesday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, was honored for her comedy. ” width=”600″ height=”420″ data-sizes=”auto” data-src=”https://www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20101109__20101110_A02_ND10FEYSHELF2p1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1″ data-attachment-id=”12272738″ data-srcset=”https://www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20101109__20101110_A02_ND10FEYSHELF2p1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1 620w,https://www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20101109__20101110_A02_ND10FEYSHELF2p1.jpg?fit=210%2C9999px&ssl=1 210w”>Tina Fey was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for humor in Washington on Nov. 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

No. 6: ‘Bossy Pants’

Author: Tina Fey

Narrated by: the author

Running time: 5 hours, 32 minutes

Plot: Autobiographical essays by the actress (“30 Rock”), writer (“Mean Girls”) and comedian (“SNL”).

Why you should love it: Well, she’s quick-witted, sarcastic, smart and funny as hell. That ought to do for starters. (New York Times bestseller, Audiobook of the Year at the 2012 Ausie Awards) — Recommended by Beth Rankin

No. 7: ‘Everything is Tuberculosis’

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (Listening Library)

Author: John Green

Narrated by: the author

Running time: 5 hours, 35 minutes

Plot: Green tells the story of Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone, and through him advocates for global health care reform.

Why you should love it: In its review, The Associated Press wrote: “The real magic of Green’s writing is the deeply considerate, human touch that goes into every word.” Well said. A New York Times and Washington Post bestseller. — Recommended by Katie Langford

No. 8: ‘The Correspondent’

Author: Virginia Evans

Narrated by: Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Oppenheimer and others

Running time: 8 hours, 36 minutes

Plot: Sybil Van Antwerp uses letters (correspondence) to make sense of the world, and always has. She writes to family members, friends, authors, universities and others, trying to make sense of things, complain of injustices, express remorse.

Why you should love it: This one will catch you by surprise. It starts out slow, and the format takes a little getting used to, but you soon settle in for the lovely ride. It’s a quiet treasure. — Recommended by LeAnna Efird and Barbara Ellis; a New York Times bestseller

No. 9: ‘The Stand’

Author: Stephen King

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Running time: 47 hours, 47 minutes (the uncut version)

Plot: A post-apocalyptic fantasy about the struggle between good and evil. On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.

Why you should love it: Sure, King has plenty of novels that would be great to listen to, but none more timely than this, even though it was first published in 1978. Yay, good guys! Yay, Boulder! — Recommended by Barbara Ellis, audible.com and reddit.com reviews

No. 10: ‘Pride and Prejudice’

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Audible Originals)

Author: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Marisa Abela, Harris Dickinson, Glenn Close and 12 others

Running time: 4 hours, 34 minutes

Plot: Elizabeth Bennett, Mr. Darcy, heaving bosoms, unrequited love in the 1800s. Happy ending.

Why you should love it: Well, it’s a classic, for starters. You think you know the story, but you owe it to yourself to listen to this fantastic production and performances. — Recommended by Kristen Kidd, libbylife.com

And more to consider, in no particular order:

“The Last Devil to Die” by Richard Osman, narrated by Fiona Shaw, is part of The Thursday Murder Club series. A group of seemingly harmless retirees in an otherwise quiet English retirement home keep getting involved in local murders. Turns out they have mad skills that others don’t quite realize due to their careers as spies, detectives and more. (10 hours, 51 minutes) — Recommended by Sarah Ellis

“The Let Them Theory,” by Mel Robbins, read by the author. A self-help book by a writer who has made her living dispensing practical advice. Even if you don’t agree with everything here (and most of it is so obvious as to be painful), you do need to hear a lot of it. Trust me. (10 hours, 38 minutes) — Recommended by Barbara Ellis, audible.com; a New York Times bestseller 

“Daisy Jones & the Six,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, narrated by Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer and others. Sex, drugs and rock and roll in the 1970s. Woo-hoo! (9 hours, 3 minutes) — Recommended by Suzanne Brown, libby.com reviewers

“Born a Crime,” by Trevor Noah, narrated by Trevor Noah. The comedian/commentator/television host pays tribute to his mother, who raised him in segregated South Africa. (8 hours, 44 minutes) — Recommended by Barbara Ellis; Audible’s Best Celebrity Memoir of 2016 

Author Salman Rushdie attends the 2023 PEN America Literary Gala on May 18, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

“Knife,” by Salman Rushdie, narrated by the author. Written after he was stabbed on stage during a lecture in New York State in August 2022. This book will change your mind about Rushdie. (6 hours, 22 minutes) — Recommended by Kristen Kidd and Lynn Bronikowski; a best book of the year in 2024 by the New York Times Book Review  

“Babel,” by R.F. Kuang, narrated by Chris Lew Kum Hoi and Billie Fulford-Brown. A sweeping historical fantasy about language (and translation) used as a tool of power over the British Empire. (21 hours, 46 minutes) — Recommended by LeAnna Efird, goodreads.com

“The Phoenix Crown, “by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Katharine Chin. Based on the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, this story highlights the struggles of a diverse group of women who come together to survive more than the destruction of their city. Wealth, corruption, history, mystery and romance — all the elements of a fascinating novel. I really enjoyed the French accent and pronunciations. (11 hours, 35 minutes) — Recommended by Sarah Ellis

“Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford,” by Clint Hill, narrated by George Newbern. Retired Secret Service agent Hill has stories to tell (well, the ones he’s allowed to) after 17 years on the front lines of White House security. Full of juicy presidential anecdotes. (14 hours, 31 minutes) — Recommended by Lynn Bronikowski

“Save Me the Plums,” by Ruth Reichl, narrated by the author. Food writer and restaurant reviewer Reichl’s memoir is “juicier than a Peter Luger porterhouse,” according to The New York Times.  (7 hours, 55 minutes) — Recommended by Jonathan Shikes

“The Maid,” by Nita Prose, narrated by Lauren Ambrose. A Clue-like mystery surrounded maid Molly Gray, who stumbles on a dead body in a hotel room. (9 hours, 37 minutes) — Recommended by Jonathan Shikes; a New York Times best seller 

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (Dragonsteel)

“Tress of the Emerald Sea,” by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer. A fairy tale in the Cosmere series for “everyone who loved ‘The Princess Bride,’” Amazon wrote when it chose this as an Editor’s Pick. (12 hours, 27 minutes) — Recommended by Andrea Walden-Morden

“All the Light We Cannot See,” by Anthony Doerr, narrated by Zach Appelman. OK, so I’m a sucker for a World War II tale. Add in a blind girl and Paris, a love story and suspense, and you had me at the preface. (16 hours, 2 minutes) — Recommended by Barbara Ellis

“Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell, narrated by Ell Potter. This will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about Shakespeare; the end will really get you. It’s been made into a movie starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal and in theaters now. (12 hours, 42 minutes) — Recommended by Kristen Kidd

“Educated,” by Tara Westover, narrated by Julia Whelan. Westover’s memoir recounts her difficult childhood in the mountains of Idaho with a father who saw no need for education and a violent brother. Along with Jeanette Walls’ “The Glass Castle,” this is among the most gripping stories of thriving despite a dysfunctional family. (12 hours, 10 minutes) — Recommended by Barbara Ellis; a top 10 best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review in 2018

“The Nickel Boys,” by Colson Whitehead, narrated by J.D. Jackson and the author. Based on an actual reformatory school for boys that operated cruelly and unchecked for 111 years in Tallahassee, Fla., (6 hours, 46 minutes) — Recommended by LeAnna Efird; winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for fiction

“Happy-Go-Lucky” by David Sedaris, narrated by David Sedaris. Looking for a laugh? Listen to anything David Sedaris. He’s a riot and reads his own stories in such an entertaining way. His “Holidays on Ice” might be perfect this time of year. (7 hours, 30 minutes) — Recommended by Kristen Kidd

“People We Meet on Vacation,” by Emily Henry, narrated by Julia Whelan. For light reads, I like listening to Whelan read the novels of Emily Henry, such as this and “Book Lovers.” They are modern rom-coms, and Whelan has a lovely voice for both male and female characters. (10 hours, 46 minutes) — Recommended by Suzanne Brown

Heartwood by Amity Gaige (Simon & Schuster Audio)

“Heartwood,” by Amity Gaige, narrated by Justine Lupe and six others. The variety of narrators works because the story is told through various points of view after a woman goes missing on the Appalachian Trail. (8 hours, 45 minutes) — Recommended by Suzanne Brown; called “the best thriller of 2025” by The Boston Globe, a “Read With Jenna” selection

“Tom Lake,” by Ann Patchett, narrated by Meryl Streep. A favorite actress narrating a favorite author. I was all-in. (– Recommended by Suzanne Brown

“Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver, narrated by Charlie Thurston. A gripping story of drug addiction among the young in the Appalachias is a modern retelling of “David Copperfield.” (21 hours, 3 minutes) — Recommended by LeAnna Efird; winner of the Pulitzer for fiction in 2023, among The New York Times Top 100 books of the 21st Century

“The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien and Their Circle,” by Colin Duriez, narrated by Simon Vance. The story of a wide group of the great fantasy fiction writers of our time, who became colleagues and friends in the early years. Well-researched account of the ways in which they had a great deal of influence on each other’s stories, as well as their literary creations. (6 hours, 36 minutes) — Recommended by Sarah Ellis

“Our Missing Hearts,” by Celeste Ng, narrated by Lucy Lieu and the author. The underlying theme of book (and people) banning is carried by the account of a young boy in search of his mother, who has disappeared after being targeted as a revolutionary for her beliefs and her writings. The society that is described is frightening in its parallels to some current events. (9 hours, 51 minutes) — Recommended by Sarah Ellis; a Reese’s Book Club pick, New York Times bestseller

“Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes,” by Ira Rosen, narrated by the author and L.J. Ganser. Rosen, a “60 Minutes” producer, tells all — from anchors who take afternoon naps to those who hit on women. (11 hours, 9 minutes) — Recommended by Lynn Bronikowski

Go As A River by Shelly Read (Spiegel & Grau by OrangeSky Audio)

“Go As A River,” by Shelley Read, narrated by Cynthia Farrell. A Colorado author writing about a Colorado story. Read tackles racism, poverty, tragedy, agriculture and more with this story of one woman’s survival, using the flooding of the town of Iola to create Blue Mesa Reservoir in the 1960s as a backdrop. (9 hours, 58 minutes) — Recommended by LeAnna Efird and Barbara Ellis

BONUS

Some podcasts, all recommended by Kristen Kidd:

The New York Times Book Review: It’s great to hear top book reviewers talk about the latest bestsellers, and there are some excellent author interviews.

Poetry Unbound (hosted by the wonderful Padraig O Tuama) is a beautiful way to experience poetry and a poetry expert’s take on some of the best work out there.

Popcast by The New York Times is co-hosted by music critics Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli with input from others– entertaining discussions with music clips and interviews providing background on artists.

In Trashy Divorces, Atlanta-based co-hosts Alicia and Stacie take turns sharing what they learned in researching famous people whose marriages did not last. They are fun, keep it clean, and play off of each other well as one tells the other reacts and together we all learn that the lives of celebrities are not all glamour and good times.

The Wirecutter Show is another New York Times production in which consumer reporters share findings and recommendations following extensive testing of every kind of consumer good imaginable. It’s fascinating and so informative with so many practical tips — a great resource!

In Julia Louis-Drefus’ podcast Wiser Than Me, the actress chats with celebs like Jane Fonda and Isabel Allende. Charming and unassuming.

By MARCUS SAMUELSSON, Voracious

The green salad in this recipe calls for two types of greens, turnip and mustard. A mess of greens, whether they be turnip, collard or mustard, have been staples in the homes of African Americans for hundreds of years.

Collard leaves are large; mustards have a slightly peppery taste; and turnips are a little bitter.

Mashama Bailey, executive chef and partner at The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, is one of the most important chefs in the country. This is a dish similar to the one she made for Harlem EatUp!, where her salad was the star of the show. Later that night, she was the star of the dance floor too.

This cookbook cover image released by Voracious shows “The Rise” by Marcus Samuelsson. (Angie Moser/Voracious via AP)

This recipe is featured in my cookbook “The Rise.”

Fish Cakes with Birmingham Greens Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Fish Cakes:

1 medium (6-ounce) potato, peeled and cut in half
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
12 ounces salt cod, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 large egg yolks
½ cup mayonnaise

Birmingham Greens Salad:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons sorghum
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 cups tender young mustard greens, washed and spun dry
2 cups tender young turnip greens, washed and spun dry
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans

This image released by Voracious shows a recipe for fish cakes with Birmingham greens salad from Marcus Samuelsson’s cookbook “The Rise.” (Angie Moser/Voracious via AP)

Directions

Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil simmers, add the onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until the onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, decrease the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce has slightly reduced and no longer has a raw flavor. Taste and season with additional salt as needed. Set aside and keep warm.

Make the fish cakes: Place the potato in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and pass the potato through a ricer or fine mesh strainer. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, garlic, salt and curry powder. Cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the salt cod and continue to cook until the liquid has dissipated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add the potato, Worcestershire, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks and mayonnaise, and stir to combine. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.

Shape the cod mixture into four patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, gently add the cod cakes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

Make the salad: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, sorghum, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small glass jar with a lid, cover, and shake to combine.

Place the greens and pecans in a medium bowl, pour over the vinaigrette, and toss to combine.

To serve: Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish cakes and serve with a side of the greens salad.

Marcus Samuelsson is the chef behind many restaurants worldwide. He is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on underserved youth and co-produces the annual Harlem EatUp! festival, which celebrates the food, art and culture of Harlem.

Excerpted from “The Rise” by Marcus Samuelsson with Osayi Endolyn. Copyright (copyright) 2020 by Marcus Samuelsson.

By Sarah Jane Tribble, Arielle Zionts and Maia Rosenfeld, KFF Health News

Imagine starting the new year with the promise of at least a $147 million payout from the federal government.

Related Articles

States go their own way as RFK Jr. shifts federal vaccine policy

MN physicians describe ‘chaos and fear’ due to immigration actions

The US is on the verge of losing its measles elimination status. Here’s why that matters

New diet guidelines say to double up on protein, but nutrition experts are wary

RFK Jr.’s MAHA movement has picked up steam in statehouses. Here’s what to expect in 2026

But there are strings attached.

In late December, President Donald Trump’s administration announced how much all 50 states would get under its new Rural Health Transformation Program, assigning them to use the money to fix systemic problems that leave rural Americans without access to good health care. Now, the clock is ticking.

Within eight months, states must submit revised budgets, begin spending, and show the money is going to good use. Federal officials will begin reviewing state progress in late summer and announce 2027 funding levels by the end of October.

The money — divided into unique allocations for each state, ranging from $147 million for New Jersey to $281 million for Texas — represents the first $10 billion installment from the five-year, $50 billion program. Congress created the fund as a last-minute sweetener in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer to offset the outsize fallout anticipated in rural communities from the statute’s nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid spending cuts over the next decade.

Federal officials crafted the fund to give states “space to be creative,” Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said on a call with reporters after announcing the funding Dec. 29. “Some states will fail, and we will learn from that.”

The money was divided according to a complicated formula.

In 2026, each state will receive an equal $100 million share under the law for the first half of the money, plus additional funding from the second half. Oz’s staff steered payouts from the second portion based on each state’s rural score, as well as results from a “technical” scoring system for project proposals.

Within hours of the announcement, academics and researchers began to parse the awards to better understand why some states received more than others, including whether the awards reflected any partisanship or political favoritism.

At first glance, total awards do not appear to favor states governed by either Republicans or Democrats. But one academic data analysis teased out the amount awarded for each state’s technical score, which is the part determined by the discretion of agency officials.

The analysis was performed at the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, which specializes in rural health. A KFF Health News review of the Sheps Center data found that states with Republican governors tended to receive more money for the parts of their application based on the technical score. Democratic-controlled states crowded the bottom quarter of those technical score awards.

Overall, though, the state awards reveal wild variation in how much money each state will get per rural resident, almost a hundredfold difference between the top and bottom.

In an emailed statement to The Arizona Republic, a spokesperson for Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs accused the administration of shortchanging rural residents in the state, which was awarded $167 million this year from the program.

CMS spokesperson Chris Krepich said in an emailed statement to KFF Health News that “politics played no role in funding decisions.”

On the December call, Oz pushed states to start working on policy actions championed by the administration — such as approving presidential fitness tests and restricting food benefits — that could require legislative approval.

Half of states promised to mandate the presidential fitness test, Oz said. Many states also proposed food waivers under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, which would limit low-nutrition items such as soda. He also said some states promised to teach health care professionals about nutrition. And others confirmed they will repeal certificate-of-need laws, which require companies to prove that new health facilities they want to open are necessary.

Krepich said CMS’ new Office of Rural Health Transformation is hiring program officers to serve as point people for three or four states. Many states are setting up their own offices to oversee the new funding.

Oz highlighted Alabama’s “big maternity initiative with robotics doing ultrasounds” and said states are tackling issues ranging from behavioral health to obesity.

A KFF Health News review of state “ project abstracts” and “ spotlights” released by CMS shows that many states plan to address the workforce challenges in rural areas. Delaware, for example, plans to use its funding to create the state’s first four-year medical school with a rural primary care track.

A third of states said they want to improve electronic health records, and every state mentioned telehealth.

Many state legislatures must pass laws to distribute the funding to their state offices. Meanwhile, state officials are hiring staff, organizing advisory committees, and preparing to dole out money.

“I’m excited about what’s next,” said Terry Scoggin, former interim chief executive of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals, or TORCH. Texas was awarded the biggest allocation. The money will bolster a rural hospital funding bill Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed last year, Scoggin said.

More than two dozen cash-strapped rural hospitals in Texas have closed or been converted to clinics since 2005, a nationwide trend that hit the Lone Star State particularly hard. The state has the largest rural population in the United States. Texas’ allocation amounts to about $66 per rural resident, according to a KFF policy analysis. By contrast, Rhode Island was granted about $6,300 per rural resident.

Scoggin said he has “a ton of concerns” about companies taking the money instead of it helping rural hospitals and residents. “I was blown away about how many for-profit companies reached out.” The companies have also called rural hospitals and asked to work with them to apply for state money, he said.

The awards should be judged on how they benefit rural residents because “the stated goal of the program is to improve rural health,” said Paula Chatterjee, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who co-authored a Senate Finance Committee memo on the transformation fund.

Researchers at the Sheps Center conducted the analysis to estimate how much money states received from the technical score, which is the portion of funding based on the quality of their proposals and state policy actions that align with “Make America Healthy Again” priorities.

New Mexico won the least amount of technical funding, with less than 10% of its award based on the discretionary metrics. Alaska won the largest technical award, according to the Sheps Center data.

Texas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Hawaii rounded out the top five recipients of technical funding. In addition to New Mexico, the other lowest technical awards went to Michigan, New Jersey, Arizona, and California.

Mark Holmes, director of the Sheps Center, declined to comment on whether he saw any political bias in the awards but said the nuance in the final portion of discretionary awards based on technical scores is important because those dollars can be redistributed and potentially clawed back in future years.

“We can be fairly certain that every state will get at least a slightly, if not a vastly, different amount next year based on this re-pooling and reallocation piece,” Holmes said.

States now have a limited time to show they’re using the money effectively to secure future funding.

But they can’t start spending yet. CMS followed standard grant procedures and is requiring each state to submit revised budgets before they can draw down money, Krepich said.

States have until Jan. 30 to resubmit their budgets, and CMS then has 30 days to respond, according to the standard Notice of Award. Under that timing, some states may not have cash in hand until March.

“CMS is working closely with states to complete this process as efficiently as possible,” Krepich said.

©2026 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.