WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recent Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which includes instructions on how to apply for the $50 billion appropriated by Congress for the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts law provides critical support for our rural communities across America. This historic investment will help states strengthen their rural health initiatives and provide better health outcomes for patients,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Through this program, we are looking forward to seeing how states—in direct collaboration with their rural communities—will utilize this funding to continue providing care to patients who need it most.”

Background: 

• The Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts law and empowers states to strengthen rural communities across America by improving access to quality health care outcomes and transforming the health care delivery ecosystem. 
• RHT funding will be allocated through the following formula:  
• $25 billion over five years will be distributed evenly among the states; this means each state will receive $100 million each year for FY 2026-2030 ($500 million total).   
• $25 billion will be distributed to states based on criteria established by the Secretary that target funding to states with high rural health care needs and that outline long-term programmatic goals that will transform access to care in the state. 
• In accordance with the law, only the 50 states are eligible to receive an RHT Program award; the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories are not eligible. 
• Application submissions will close in early November, and funding allocations will be decided by December 31, 2025. 

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