RHT Program: CMS’ Review of States Applications Under Way

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) review of states' applications for funds from the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program is under way.

The agency on November 5, 2025-the deadline day for application submissions-reported that all 50 states submitted applications.

States now must wait for the agency to decide on application approvals. Under the law, CMS has until December 31, 2025 to review the applications and identify which states will be approved for participation, as well as award amounts.

Authorized by HR 1, the program's total funding is $50 billion; $10 billion of funding is available each fiscal year, beginning in fiscal year 2026 and ending in fiscal year 2030.

Those that are selected to move forward are eligible for funding over five fiscal years of the program, and will learn in early January 2026 the amount they will receive for the program's first year.

At present, the state applications are not posted on the agency's Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program website. However, the State Health and Value Strategies program, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is tracking states' RHT Program participation. Available data on submissions, posted applications, and application summary is here.