Lankford Leads Oklahoma Delegation in Support of Rural Health Transformation Proposal

WASHINGTON, DC - US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), along with Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), and Josh Brecheen (R-OK), sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Mehemet Oz urging approval of the state's Rural Health Transformation application, which outlines targeted steps to improve access, outcomes, and long-term sustainability for rural providers.

The Working Families Tax Cuts Act created the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion program intended to fund initiatives in each state that will increase access to and the sustainability of health care in rural America. States will begin to receive funds in 2026.

Read the full letter HERE or below:

Dear Administrator Oz:

As some of the authors of the Rural Health Transformation fund, we are pleased to write this letter in support of the Oklahoma State Department of Health's (OSDH) application for the Rural Health Transformation Program. This program presents a generational investment into rural health care that seeks to promote innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and workforce initiatives across our rural communities. The OSDH application establishes the framework that will drive meaningful progress for rural health in Oklahoma, collectively addressing many significant barriers related to access, quality, and sustainability.

There is no doubt that rural Oklahomans experience increased disparities in health care access as compared to their urban neighbors. The rural health care network is often overextended, lacks sufficient resources, and is under frequent risk of further decline. Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program addresses these challenges by utilizing existing state, tribal, and community partners to expand telehealth capacity and bring stability to rural health care. The Oklahoma RHT Program is organized into six initiatives that align with the State's strategic pillars and program priorities. These initiatives will help bring expanded services to rural areas, target prevention and management of chronic conditions, establish a statewide rural regionalization plan, enable value-based payment paths, build recruiting pipelines to incentivize rural practice, and expand access and use of the state's health information exchange (HIE). These initiatives align with the State's strategic pillars and program priorities, including access, outcomes, technology, workforce, financial solvency, and identifying the cause of rural hospital closure.

Rural health care across the nation faces numerous challenges that threaten current and future generations' ability to receive the care that they need. Many rural Oklahomans are often encouraged to travel hundreds of miles to receive basic care in urban centers. It is vital that we invest in critical infrastructure that will allow increased access and reliability for our rural residents. The Oklahoma RHT Program provides the critical investment needed to transform the methods of delivery that will advance care models and health outcomes. Ongoing stakeholder engagement, combined with state legislative and regulatory action, will guide the Oklahoma RHT Program to ensure maximum reach and effectiveness.

Thank you in advance for your strong consideration of the Oklahoma State Department of Health's (OSDH) application for the Rural Health Transformation Program. Please contact our offices if you need any further assistance as you consider this important proposal.

Sincerely,

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