Image courtesy Canva

Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas has received a $221 million award from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to fund the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program. The funding will help strengthen rural health systems, expand access to care, and improve health outcomes statewide. The award exceeds the base funding amount available to states and reflects the strength of Kansas’ application.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will serve as the lead agency for the grant and will work with key partners, including the Rural Health Alliance and other stakeholders, to ensure funds are distributed according to the approved program framework and federal requirements.

Kansas’ plan focuses on five main initiatives: expanding primary and secondary prevention programs, securing local access to primary care, building a sustainable rural health workforce, enabling value-based care, and using data and technology to improve services.

Kansas submitted its application to CMS on Nov. 3, and the full application is available on the KDHE Rural Health Transformation Program webpage. More information on timelines and next steps will be shared as implementation moves forward.