Fierce Healthcare is tracking announcements from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and individual states regarding funding awards as part of the five-year, $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) fund.
Every state submitted applications to the federal government in November outlining plans to improve rural healthcare with their share of $50 billion in funds from the program, with CMS announcing awards in December. A full list of awards for RHTP's first year can be found here.
Detailed information on how exactly the funds are being distributed has so far varied from state to state, though CMS and some state leaders have shared announcements describing the destinations for some or all of their first-year awards.
Stay up to date with this tracker for the latest RHTP funding updates, and email Cailey Gleeson at [email protected] with any news.
Virginia
CMS announced Aug. 28 that $122 million will be awarded to Virginia to expand healthcare access, workforce and technological innovations across the state.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Expanding remote patient monitoring, rural residency, provider training slots, community paramedicine, maternal care and mobile/hybrid care models in underserved regions
- Strengthening healthcare workforce
- Driving innovation and coordination, which includes funding for early-stage health tech companies to scale digital solutions
In total, Virginia will receive $189,544,888 during fiscal year 2026.
Georgia
CMS announced Aug. 27 that $93.3 million in funding will be awarded to Georgia to advance new care models and improve health outcomes for rural patients.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Providing 87 rural hospitals with pre-implementation funds to prepare for participation in CMS’ AHEAD Model
- Expanding training and education for nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics
- Expanding access and strengthening telehealth access points, maternal and behavioral healthcare, newborn screening, transportation and other services to improve access to care
- Supporting technology-enabled care and infrastructure, including rural hospital cybersecurity, telehealth capacity, surgical robotics and more
The state has now committed the full $218,862,170 awarded for its first year of funding through the RHTP with these investments, according to the release notes.
Ohio
CMS announced Aug. 26 that Ohio will receive $3.15 million in RHTP funding to expand pharmacy connectivity throughout the state’s rural communities.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- $2 million towards improving pharmacists’ access to patient medical records and strengthening medication management
- $1.15 million towards improving integrated access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System for rural providers
Previous funding includes $10 million towards Ohio University in support of rural workforce development. Additionally, the agency says there is a $61.7 million funding opportunity towards developing and expanding rural CINs and Rural Health Innovation Hubs across 73 non-urban counties.
In total, Ohio will receive $202,030,262 during fiscal year 2026.
Alaska
CMS announced Aug. 25 that $160 million in funding will be awarded to 142 projects across Alaska, with an emphasis on expanding technology and coordinated statewide care.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- $6.5 million towards the first robotics-assisted minimally invasive surgeries in southern and southeastern Alaska
- $5 million towards a first-of-its-kind tribally led residential treatment and recovery campus for behavioral health in southeast Alaska
- $4.75 million towards strengthening statewide health data infrastructure
- $4.6 million towards stabilizing and enhancing the Alaska Family Medicine Residency Program
- More than $3.1 million towards establishing a statewide AI imaging network across 21 acute care hospitals
The funding announcement is just a portion of overall funding to be awarded to the state for fiscal year 2026. In December, CMS announced that Alaska would receive $272,174,856 in total as part of the RHTP grants.
Alabama
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Aug. 24 that 138 grants will be awarded to healthcare providers and organizations across the state—totaling more than $144 million.
The grants support projects across every county in the state to improve healthcare access, quality and outcomes. The Alabama RHTP (ARHTP) includes 11 initiatives, with initial grants funding five: rural health, rural workforce, mental health, rural health practice and collaborative electronic health record (EHR), IT and cybersecurity.
The collaborative EHR, IT and cybersecurity grants cover 29 projects; rural health grants cover 57 projects; rural workforce initiative grants cover 25 projects; rural health practice grants cover 14 projects and mental health grants cover 13 projects.
The projects are supported by CMS, totaling $203,404,327 for the state, per the press release.
Grants for remaining initiatives are in progress and will be announced at a later date, according to an Aug. 24 press release. Full story.
North Dakota
CMS announced on Aug. 20 an additional investment of $1 million in RHTP funding for North Dakota, building on nearly $60 million in previously announced funding.
Projects supported by the fund that have been disclosed so far include:
- $40 million towards helping rural hospitals replace equipment, expand specialty and emergency care services and improve the speed of local diagnoses
- $10 million towards stabilizing and retaining healthcare workforce across 37 critical access hospitals and affiliated rural clinics
- $1.5 million towards deploying a mobile mammography unit across western North Dakota
In total, North Dakota will receive $198,936,970 during fiscal year 2026.
Pennsylvania
CMS announced on Aug. 19 that Pennsylvania will be awarded $35 million to modernize rural healthcare in the state, including through advanced screening technology.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Strengthening integration and delivery of services, leveraging technology, and strengthening the workforce
- Supporting renovations, structural improvements, equipment purchases, and essential supplies for organizations and providers
- Strengthening access to critical services and infrastructure, including emergency and non-emergency medical transportation, behavioral and maternal healthcare and more.
In total, Pennsylvania will receive $193,294,054 during fiscal year 2026. CMS noted in the Aug. 19 announcement that it has already invested $42 million in 62 projects across the state.
South Dakota
CMS announced Aug. 19 that South Dakota will be awarded $90 million in RHTP funds, with an emphasis on accelerating digital health efforts.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Supporting infrastructure improvements, diagnostic and surgical capacity, emergency care and specialty care access
- Modernizing electronic health records, cybersecurity and network infrastructure and virtual care capabilities
- Expanding mobile tribal health services, maternal health resources and tailored care coordination
- Strengthening the rural healthcare workforce and advancing the integration of value-based care
In total, South Dakota will receive $189,477,607 during fiscal year 2026.