The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 18 that it convened leaders from all 50 states for the first Rural Health Transformation Summit, aiming to accelerate implementation of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The program is designed to strengthen rural health systems, expand access to care, and address chronic disease in partnership with states.
According to CMS, the Rural Health Transformation Program was established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut legislation (Public Law 119-21) as a catalytic investment intended to modernize rural health systems. The initiative focuses on expanding access to care, improving chronic disease management, strengthening the rural health workforce, modernizing infrastructure and technology, and advancing innovative care models.
The summit brought together state program directors, CMS leadership, Office of Rural Health Transformation project officers, and subject matter experts. Participants discussed early implementation efforts aligned with five strategic goals: expanding preventive and primary services; advancing regional partnerships; building clinical pipelines; testing value-based care models; and modernizing health IT infrastructure. State leaders highlighted approaches such as mobile care units, remote patient monitoring, community-based partnerships, and regional data-sharing platforms.
Throughout the event, participants emphasized that long-term success would depend on embedding these initiatives into durable financing and workforce structures. This includes alignment with Medicaid and Medicare payment models as well as expansion of rural residency and training programs.
The Office of Rural Health Transformation (ORHT), described as the first dedicated rural health office within CMS, organized the summit. ORHT provides policy guidance and operational support while coordinating collaboration across components. The summit marked the launch of an ongoing learning collaborative intended to connect states and provide sustained technical assistance.
Through continued collaboration between CMS and state partners, efforts are underway to ensure families in rural communities have dependable access to high-quality care for years ahead according to the official roster page.
