Nevada Awarded Rural Health Transformation Program Grant

Today, Governor Joe Lombardo announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded nearly $180 million to the Nevada Health Authority for the first year of the new federal Rural Health Transformation Program.

This new funding is part of a five-year, $50 billion initiative as authorized by Congress earlier this year in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

"Thanks to this landmark investment, Nevada is positioned to make meaningful advancements in support of the state's rural health care system," said Governor Joe Lombardo. "These funds will help connect rural Nevadans to health care by strengthening critical infrastructure, attracting a more robust healthcare workforce, and accelerating healthcare technology innovation in our rural communities."

All 50 states were invited to submit applications to the federal government to receive these new federal funds. For each year of the program, states must reapply for additional funds. The five-year grant period begins December 29, 2025 and runs through October 30, 2030. The total available funds for all states is $50 billion.

Nevada's application for this federal initiative can be found here.

Four Strategic Initiatives to Strengthen Rural Health
With this new federal funding, Nevada will launch four major initiatives designed to expand access to high quality care and support long term health improvements in rural communities:

• Rural Health Outcomes Accelerator Program: Efforts under this program will promote value-based and innovative care models that prevent and manage chronic disease. This includes (but not limited to) new online collaborative care strategies, remote and/or hybrid approaches to care, digital patient health management tools, and virtual provider mentorship programs.
• Flex Fund for Rural Providers: To help modernize the state's rural healthcare infrastructure by supporting investments in technology, equipment, supplies, mobile units, emergency services, and other critical needs. The State will encourage regional purchasing strategies and shared service arrangements to maximize impact. All funds must be used within Nevada healthcare facilities.
• Workforce Recruitment and Rural Access Program: To address historic gaps in the state's rural workforce, Nevada will implement multiple strategies to attract and retain healthcare professionals in rural areas to address immediate and long-term provider gaps, including new incentives for providers to live and serve in rural areas of the state, tuition aid with commitments to serve rural Nevada, and a rural physician residency program.
• Rural Health Innovation and Technology Grants: To support the adoption of innovative technologies and modernization of health information systems, with a focus on alignment with the CMS Digital Health Ecosystem and strengthening cybersecurity. These funds may also be used by recipients to bolster the state's rural telehealth infrastructure.

NVHA will announce opportunities for applicants to apply for Rural Health Transformation Program funding later this spring and summer through public workshops, the Nevada Rural Health Transformation website, the NVHA ListServ, and additional communication channels.

Rural Health Transformation Steering Committee
To guide implementation of this important work, Nevada will establish a Rural Health Transformation Steering Committee (RHTSC). Members will be appointed by the Nevada Health Authority Director with approval from the Governor. The Committee will monitor progress across all initiatives and recommend adjustments to ensure the Rural Health Transformation Plan maintains alignment with federal goals and delivers lasting, transformational improvements in rural healthcare statewide. The RHTSC will be composed of a broad array of representatives from rural health systems and communities in addition to state, local, and tribal health representatives.

Individuals interested in serving on the steering committee can find more information at Nevada's Rural Health Transformation website here: https://nvha.nv.gov/Community/Rural_Health_Transformation/.

The deadline to submit applications to serve on the steering committee is January 19, 2026.

Upcoming Public Workshop
NVHA will be hosting a virtual Winter Stakeholder Update Workshop on January 27, 2026 at 1:00pm to include NVHA bill implementation updates, major project updates, and current information regarding the Rural Health Transformation Program in Nevada.

Please see meeting information located here: https://nvha.nv.gov/Community/Stakeholder_Meetings/.

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