| Read this in your browser January 8, 2025 What's New CMS Awards $50 Billion in First Round of Five-Year Rural Health Transformation. On December 29, the Centers for Medicaid & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that all 50 states will receive funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). The first-year awards range from $147 million to $281 million. The program's total funding of $50 billion will be allocated to approved states, with $10 billion available each year from 2026 through 2030. While 50 percent of the funding is distributed equally among all approved states, the other 50 percent is allocated based on a variety of factors. You can read abstracts of each state's proposal and budget request on the CMS website. The program will be administered by the new Office of Rural Health Transformation, created within CMS to guide states in implementing their plans, provide technical assistance, and ensure strong oversight throughout the five-year program. Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010–2023: A State-by-State Report. Between 2010 and 2023, there have been continued declines in access to hospital-based obstetric services in both rural and urban US communities. New research from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center finds that, by 2023, these losses resulted in 60 percent of rural counties and 38 percent of urban counties not having any hospital-based obstetric services. The University of Minnesota holds one of eight HRSA/FORHP-funded Rural Health Research Center awards, the only Federal resource for policy-relevant research on health care in rural areas. Learn more at the Rural Health Research Gateway. HHS and DEA Extend Telehealth Prescribing Flexibilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), jointly with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced a fourth extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2026. This extension ensures that patients who rely on telehealth – including older adults, rural residents, and people with disabilities – can continue accessing care. Sign up to learn more about federal funding, resources, and information related to telehealth from HRSA's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. USDA: Household Food Security in the United States in 2024. The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its annual review of data estimating the number of household experiencing ranges of food security and food insecurity. Funding and Opportunities CDC Drug-Free Communities Support Program – February 12. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make 80 awards to nonprofit, community-based organizations that have not previously received a Drug Free Communities Grant. The program aims to establish and strengthen collaboration at the community level to prevent youth substance abuse. Forecasted: HRSA Telehealth Centers of Excellence – Estimated Post Date February 23. HRSA's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth administers total funding of $8.5 million for two awards to academic medical centers. The program supports research and telehealth services in rural and urban areas, serving as a national resource for improving access to quality health care, especially in medically underserved areas. NIH Network of the National Library of Medicine Consumer Health Information Specialization Training Award – March 2. Part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Network of the National Library of Medicine is a nationwide collaboration of libraries, health organizations, and community groups that provide health information resources and training to improve health literacy and access to biomedical information for the public. This funding supports rural and small library staff enhance their ability to serve their communities with trustworthy health information. According to 2020 research by a separate Federal agency, the Institute of Museum Library Sciences, rural libraries provide access to reliable information for approximately 30 million people in the U.S. USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan/Grants Programs – March 31. Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides funding to be used by local utility organizations for projects that will create and retain employment in areas or towns with a population of 50,000 residents or fewer. Grants of up to $300,000 may go to eligible intermediaries determined by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to establish and operate a Revolving Loan Fund. Loans of up to $1 million can be used to make zero-interest loans to local businesses and/or community organizations. This program is only open to current or former Rural Utilities Service Electric or Telecommunication borrowers and not-for-profit utilities eligible under the Rural Electrification Act. USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – March 31. In a separate program, USDA Rural Development provides low interest loans to intermediary lenders to establish revolving loan funds for economic development at the local level. Eligible intermediary lenders include nonprofits and cooperatives, federally recognized tribes, and public agencies. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Proposes Changes to Health Plan Price Transparency – Comment by February 23. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), working with the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments), requests public input on proposed changes to the payer price transparency regulations intended to make pricing information easier to access for participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees, and to improve the consistency and reliability of public pricing disclosures. Currently, most group health plans and issuers of group or individual health insurance post pricing information for covered items and services, which third parties, such as researchers and app developers, can use to help consumers better understand the costs associated with their health care. Proposals include reducing the number and size of the machine-readable files that health plans post online, adding data elements to provide context around the data being reported, and improving the ease of locating and downloading the machine-readable files. Proposed Rule for HTI-5 Seeks to Reduce Criteria for Health IT – Comment by February 27. On December 29, the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy released the updated proposed rule entitled "Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability" (HTI-5). This rule is designed to update regulations regarding health information technology and the Trusted Exchange Framework and the Common Agreement. Due to Executive Order (E.O.) 14192, ASTP is withdrawing multiple proposals previously outlined in HTI-2 released in 2024 to account for new standards, updated interfaces, and artificial intelligence. In addition; healthcare payers, providers, and patients will also notice changes and updates to the certification criteria pertaining to data exchange. Learning Events and Technical Assistance UVM CORA: Identifying Needs for Rural Substance Use Disorder (SUD) – Wednesday, January 14 at 12:00 pm Eastern. This two-part presentation from the Center on Rural Addiction at the University of Vermont (UVM CORA) will 1) share findings about what helps and hinders SUD treatment in rural communities, and 2) introduce the UVM CORA Opioid and Substance Use Treatment Training Scholarship Program – an intensive, no-cost, two-day training initiative tailored for rural primary care practices. UVM CORA is one of three Centers of Excellence supported by HRSA/FORHP's Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. Office Hours for USDA Rural Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program Loan – Tuesday, January 13 at 1:00 pm Eastern. The Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be holding this webinar to provide an open forum for entities to ask questions, seek clarification, and discuss topics related to applying to the RUS Rural Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program. Federal Rural Definitions – Thursday, January 22 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Experts from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will provide a brief history of rural over time and review how the term "rural" is defined. Changes to rural areas, as identified by FORHP with their most recent data update in September 2025, will be highlighted. Resource of the Week Updated RHIhub Topic Guide: Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). The FORHP-supported Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) shares updated information and resources on the development and certification of RHCs, including federal regulations, location and staffing requirements, reimbursement, and more. The guide also details demographic and medical characteristics of RHC Medicare patients, shares information on RHCs and Accountable Care Organizations, and more! Approaching Deadlines USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – December 30 HRSA State Loan Repayment Program – January 12, 2026 CDC Drug-Free Communities Support Program – February 12 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects – February 12 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families – February 19 CMS Proposes Changes to Health Plan Price Transparency – Comment by February 23 Proposed Rule for HTI-5 Seeks to Reduce Criteria for Health IT – Comment by February 27 NIH Network of the National Library of Medicine Consumer Health Information Specialization Training Award – March 2 USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – March 31 USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – March 31 Forecasted Opportunities HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) - Planning – Estimated Post Date February 2 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – Estimated Post Date February 16 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Impact – Estimated Post Date February 23 Ongoing Opportunities - Updated January 2026 Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project Delta Regional Authority: Community Infrastructure Fund Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program General Services Administration: Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications HRSA National Health Service Corps Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training HRSA Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program Indian Health Service/Department of Defense: Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: The Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program ProviderBridge: Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Rural Initiative Pilot Program Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Federal Emergency Management Agency/: Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program USDA: National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program USDA: Summer Food Service Program USDA/National Rural Health Association: Rural Hospital Technical Assistance USDA Rural Development: America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA Rural Development: Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems USDA Rural Development: Community Facilities Programs USDA Rural Development: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Rural Development: Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Development: Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Rural Development: SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) USDA Rural Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees U.S. Department of Transportation: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Physical Therapy Telehealth Research Study for Older Veterans – Ongoing until October 2026 | 
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