Alaska preliminary LOI summary, Colorado Advisory meeting is today, Missouri announces RHT leader, South Carolina RFPs 4/2/2026, Legislation Watch ID, MS, and U.S. Senate
Rural Health Transformation Program Daily Brief, March 25, 2026
Alaska posts Preliminary Letter of Interest Submission Information
The Alaska Department of Health (DOH) opened the first Letter of Interest (LOI) registration period for Alaska’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) on February 17, 2026. Organizations could submit LOIs through March 11, 2026. DOH has contracted with the Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) to administer the application and award process for organizations and entities seeking RHTP funding.
Scale of Response
ACF received 1,797 Letters of Interest from 864 unique organizations
Using rough midpoint estimates, the total funding requests submitted through ACF represent approximately $2.5 billion in year-one asks, far exceeding available funding
Approximately 81% of applicants are Alaska-based
Colorado links to zoom for today’s Advisory Committee Meeting
Rural Health Transformation Program Advisory Committee Meeting: Wednesday, March 25 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85490183270
Missouri appoints Joseph Miller head of RHT
As Director, Miller will guide the strategic vision for Missouri’s rural health model, with priorities including:
Innovative Payment Models: Supporting providers with financial structures that prioritize patient outcomes.
Strategic Alignment: Partnering with the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to better align providers, strengthening service delivery, and expanding access for individuals and families in rural Missouri.
Stakeholder Integration: Coordinating efforts across stakeholder groups, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), health associations, and higher education institutions.
Accountability: Managing a diverse portfolio of RHTP initiatives to ensure measurable impact and transparent reporting.
South Carolina posts grants webinar recording and slides
The anticipated RFP posting is posting is Thursday, April 2, 2026. Includes lots of detail on requirements and format.
Legislation Watch
Primary RHT Legislative Actions
Idaho S1264: The Senate origin bill to establish the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund and create a legislative oversight committee for the state’s $186 million RHTP award. Idaho was awarded almost $186 million annually through RHTP in December, but those funds cannot reach communities until spending authority has been approved by the Legislature — the Senate and House have yet to agree on how funds should be spent. Idaho Business Review
The Senate and House versions differ only in the makeup and requirements of the oversight committee. Idaho Freedom
S1264 has now been referred to the 14th Order for amendment — a procedural step indicating the Senate is actively working to reconcile differences with the House-passed HB916 before session ends.
Mississippi SB2477: The Senate companion to HB1067, focused on procurement accountability for RHTP subgrantees. The legislation prioritizes subgrantees in rural areas and, for medical equipment or facility upgrades, those that have not received appropriations for similar projects in the past five years. Mississippi Today
As per Mississippi Today:
Lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Tate Reeves for consideration Monday that seeks to ensure federal funding for rural health care is directed toward rural communities and the spending is reported to the Legislature.
The bill is a diluted version of oversight legislation passed by both chambers earlier in the session, which would have required a competitive bidding process for the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars given to Mississippi by the federal government.
A per Desoto County News:
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill Monday that temporarily relaxes state approval requirements for rural hospitals. The law aims to help struggling facilities expand services and generate more revenue by easing certificate of need laws.
The new law establishes a pilot program benefiting about 55 rural hospitals in Mississippi. It loosens restrictions on adding new services and making costly upgrades, which previously required demonstrating need to avoid service duplication. The law, already in effect, will continue through June 2027.
Appropriation & Budgetary Links
Missouri HB2011: Missouri’s FY2027 Department of Social Services appropriations bill — the vehicle through which RHTP funds will flow at the state level. Once CMS approves Missouri’s revised budget, the state will still need legislative appropriation before funds can be spent. Missouri Independent
A separate supplemental bill approved by the House earlier in the session included $100 million of the $216 million Missouri received for the Rural Health Transformation Program. Missouri Independent
HB2011 is one of the 12 operating budget appropriations bills currently in markup by the House Budget Committee, with a Chair Substitute version in circulation. Missouri House of Representatives
The bill has been perfected with 14 House amendments and is advancing toward a floor vote.
U.S. Senate
Sens. Moran, Bennet Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Revitalize Rural Hospitals