09/01/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/01/2026 12:25
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA
GOVERNOR GREEN ANNOUNCES $58 MILLION FEDERAL INVESTMENT
TO STRENGTHEN RURAL HEALTHCARE ACROSS HAWAIʻI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2026
HONOLULU - Governor Josh Green today announced $58 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to improve access to healthcare and strengthen services in rural and underserved communities across Hawaiʻi.
"As a physician who has practiced in rural communities, I know that distance can determine whether someone receives care in time," said Governor Green. "This $58 million federal investment will help us train and retain more healthcare professionals, provide new ambulances in every county and modernize emergency communications. Mahalo to our federal partners, the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine and the Department of Health for helping us bring quality care closer to home."
The funding includes:
In January, Hawaiʻi was awarded $188,892,440 through the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program. The award, among the highest in the nation per rural resident, represents the first year of funding for Hawaiʻi's five-year RHTP, with additional annual awards expected through 2030.
The plan includes six coordinated initiatives focused on health information technology, telehealth, emergency and mobile medical services, workforce development, medical respite care and innovative care models for rural providers.
The RHTP is a five-year, $50 billion national initiative designed to help states expand access, strengthen their healthcare workforces, modernize infrastructure and improve health outcomes in rural communities.
For more information on local RHTP initiatives, visit
For more information about the RHTP visit
https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/rural-health
About the Rural Health Transformation Program
This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $188,892,439.75 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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