CMS Launches $50B Rural Health Transformation Program

Alaska

$272M

Alaska is one of the most rural and frontier states, with vast geographic scale, extreme climate, and a widely dispersed population. Alaska’s application centers on serving vulnerable populations by rightsizing primary care delivery and expanding obstetric care access.

California

$234M

California’s rural areas make up 82% of the state’s land area and face persistent challenges in access, workforce stability, and infrastructure. California presents a statewide application focused on Medical Service Study Areas (MSSAs) and Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (PCHPSAs).

Florida

$210M

Florida has one of the largest populations in the country, with 1.2 million rural residents. Florida’s proposed initiatives span care delivery, resource-sharing collaboratives, remote patient monitoring, and community paramedicine.

Georgia

$219M

Georgia describes striking gaps in rural maternal and primary care: 82 rural counties have no OB-GYN and 53 lack a hospital. Georgia focuses on obstetric carts, AHEAD model adoption, mobile health units, and telehealth infrastructure.

Kansas

$222M

Kansas faces rural healthcare challenges, including provider shortages, limited preventive services access, and barriers to value-based care participation. Kansas proposes initiatives focused on hospital financial support, workforce incentives, PACE expansion, and a statewide network for value-based care participation.

Missouri

$216M

Missouri’s rural population, nearly 2.5 million individuals spread across 104 rural and rural-adjacent counties, faces longstanding challenges with access to care and operational sustainability. Missouri focuses on a hub-and-spoke model to promote regional and local collaboration.

Montana

$234M

Montana has a very low population density, and nearly all counties are considered rural. Montana focuses on strengthening the healthcare workforce, securing financial solvency for rural providers, embedding prevention and community health at the center of care, and expanding technology use.

Nebraska

$219M

Nebraska’s rural areas face challenges stemming from an agriculture-dominated economy, ranking tenth highest nationally for obesity and fifth highest for maternity deserts. Nebraska addresses these challenges through food-as-medicine programs, workforce development, technology initiatives, and right-sizing the healthcare system.

Oklahoma

$223M

Most of Oklahoma is rural and struggles with geographic dispersion, sparse infrastructure, long travel times, high uninsurance rates, and poor health outcomes. Oklahoma aims to address the needs of their rural residents, including their large indigenous population (16%) and agriculture communities.

Texas

$281M

Texas’s rural healthcare challenges span 202 of 254 counties (80% of the state), with particular needs in hospital support, local delivery system infrastructure, and fragmented specialty care access. Texas is particularly focused on leveraging state-wide technology initiatives, supporting the rural clinical workforce, establishing CINs, and empowering patients to focus on disease prevention and healthy living.