CMS has announced that all 50 states submitted applications for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, designed to enable states to expand access, enhance quality, and improve outcomes for patients through sustainable, state-driven innovation in rural healthcare. The application period closed on November 5. All submitted applications will now undergo CMS review. States that have approved applications will receive baseline funding—representing 50% of total available program funds—distributed equally among approved states. Applications that meet baseline criteria will then undergo an additional review for the remaining 50% of available program funds. CMS will announce approved awardees by December 31, 2025, with funding distributed over five years beginning in federal fiscal year 2026. As states begin implementation, program officers from CMS’s Office of Rural Health Transformation will provide technical assistance and ongoing support to help states design, launch, and sustain initiatives that best serve their rural communities.