Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced Alabama has officially received $203,404,327 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
The five-year program, designed to improve health care access, quality and outcomes in the state, will be administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).
“We are very pleased Alabama will be awarded more than $203 million in the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program. After President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law in July, Alabama got to work preparing for this program so we could hit the ground running once our state’s new comprehensive rural health strategy was approved,” Ivey said.
“Now that it has been approved, we will take the next steps to ensure our citizens and communities benefit for generations. Making America Healthy Again begins in rural America, and I look forward to being able to improve health care across Alabama.”
The RHTP was established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Congress passed in July and President Donald Trump signed into law.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr said, “More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care. This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, rural Americans will now have affordable healthcare close to home, free from bureaucratic obstacles.”
In November, Ivey announced Alabama’s plan had been submitted to CMS for approval. In December, Ivey signed an executive order establishing the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group to advise on implementation, policy development, and oversight, positioning the state to move quickly upon approval.
The plan includes 11 initiatives:
- Collaborative Electronic Health Record (EHR), IT and Cybersecurity Initiative
- Rural Health Initiative
- Maternal and Fetal Health Initiative
- Rural Workforce Initiative
- Cancer Digital Regionalization Initiative
- Simulation Training Initiative
- Statewide EMS Trauma and Stroke Initiative
- EMS Treat-In-Place Initiative
- Mental Health Initiative
- Community Medicine Initiative
- Rural Health Practice Initiative
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