(Sept. 26, 2025) – Yesterday, Governor Laura Kelly announced the state is taking steps to develop an application for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The RHTP is intended to infuse millions of dollars into states' health care systems and to bolster rural communities by improving access to and the quality of care available to Kansans. Of the $50 billion RHTP, $25 billion will be distributed evenly to states whose applications are approved. The other half will be dispersed based on factors outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the application released on Sept. 15, 2025. Kansas must submit one application for this funding by Nov. 5, 2025. CMS will then announce the funding awards by Dec. 31, 2025. The funding will be distributed over the next five years. More about the Rural Health Transformation Program can be found on CMS.gov.
Governor Kelly is establishing the Kansas Rural Health Innovation Alliance to convene a group of stakeholders who will oversee the development of the application and the implementation of the initiatives outlined in Kansas' plan. The state, in association with the University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative, will present an educational webinar at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, to further outline the application and stakeholder engagement process.
We encourage our members to register online for this educational webinar, in which they will learn more about the proposal requirements outlined by CMS, as well as the next steps for the Kansas submission.
--Jennifer Findley