MDH Applies for Federal Rural Health Transformation Program

November 6, 2025

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced November 6 that it has submitted a comprehensive application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for participation in the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). 

The application, which was supported by the MMA, was developed in collaboration with rural hospitals and health systems, safety net clinics, emergency medical services, local public health agencies, and community stakeholders. It outlines a five-year plan to stabilize and strengthen rural healthcare delivery across the state of Minnesota and make strategic use of new technology tools to ensure rural residents can access care closer to home. 

Minnesota’s RHTP application is built on a strong foundation of stakeholder and partner engagement. In all, MDH held more than 40 meetings with stakeholders from across Minnesota and received nearly 350 responses to its request for stakeholder input. The application was accompanied by letters of support, including bipartisan support from state and federal lawmakers, the Minnesota Hospital Association, the Association of Minnesota Counties, the MMA, Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers, Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services, and several rural health systems. 

The goals at the center of Minnesota’s application are focused in five key areas and closely align with the strategic priorities outlined by CMS: 

• Improve health outcomes for rural Minnesotans with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease (cardiometabolic disease). 

• Build education pathways and promote training opportunities in rural communities to sustainably expand the health care workforce in rural Minnesota. 

• Expand healthcare access in rural communities by creating new entry points for community-based screenings, preventive care and chronic disease management through technology-enabled care delivery, mobile care and increased use of community-based frontline workers. 

• Strengthen partnerships between providers to enable delivery of expanded services in rural areas through shared learning, collaborative approaches and advanced technology interventions. 

• Strengthen and stabilize rural provider financial health through strategic investments in technology, data infrastructure and collaborative mechanisms to address unique needs of rural providers. 

The RHTP was created by H.R.1 (Public Law 119-21) on July 4, 2025, to address rural community healthcare delivery challenges. The program will provide up to $50 billion in funding over five fiscal years to states. CMS is expected to announce approved state applications and awards by December 31. State officials will continue engaging stakeholders as implementation planning advances. 

For more details and insights on specific strategic initiatives, a fact sheet describing Minnesota’s RHTP application is available on MDH’s Rural Health Transformation Program website.