Rural Health Transformation Program

Helping Utahns live safe and
healthy lives

Join us!

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is gathering a group of stakeholders to help develop Utah’s application for a five-year Rural Health Transformation Program. In the coming months, you are invited to share input, develop priorities, and shape program investments.

We are committed to developing a plan that is driven by the voices and needs of those it will serve. Your insights and leadership are essential to this effort of improving Utah’s rural communities’ access to healthcare. We need you!

Text overview of H.R. 1

HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), establishes a five-year Rural Health Transformation Program to enhance rural healthcare access, infrastructure, and workforce development.

Utah is expected to receive a minimum of $100 million annually from federal fiscal year 2026 to 2030. To access these funds, Utah must submit a rural health transformation plan to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by December 31, 2025.

While this funding may partially offset projected decreases in federal Medicaid spending for rural Utah due to HR 1, it is also a significant opportunity to reshape rural healthcare and aligns with Governor Cox's strategic objective to improve rural healthcare access. Learn more about this program.

Project priorities survey

The survey is now closed. Thank you for your great input!

Schedule for listening sessions

Our kickoff meeting was on August 13, 2025, and included a Q&A with Deputy Director Nate Checketts, Population Health Assistant Director Ashley Moretz, and Medicaid Medical Director Dr. Ronak Iqbal. They provided an overview of the program and took questions.

Slide deck for 8/13/2025

A woman speaks with her grandfather about his low mood

Frequently asked questions

DHHS will use the survey as a first step to help inform the priorities and the workgroups that will further refine the opportunities. Once we receive the NOFO, we will have a better understanding of the level of detail expected in the application. The workgroups will help inform specific project-level proposals. Utah's proposal will ultimately be developed in consultation with the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and the Utah State Legislature.

We expect the Notice of Funding Opportunity will have more details about the second tranche of funding to be allocated by the CMS Administrator.

This relates both to potential amount of funding that might be available to Utah, and any differences in the expectations for use or distribution of funds. In the meantime, we will use the survey to help inform the priorities and the workgroups that will further refine the opportunities.

Once the federal notice has been released and we have more clarity on what will be required in the application, we will determine if we will use a Request For Information process to help solicit ideas.

Utah's proposal will ultimately be developed in consultation with the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and the Utah State Legislature.

Workgroups

Information about workgroups will be added here at a future date. But feel free to watch the recording of the kickoff meeting, held August 13, 2025

Email address for questions

If you have questions or would like to be included in upcoming communication about this program, please email us at [email protected].

Contact us