Nebraska Workforce Incentive Program launches
New Jersey Doula RFA, CMS Summit Agenda, and Alabama delivers three RHT bills for Governor signature
Nebraska launches Workforce Incentive Program
The RHT-centric program allows for specific relocation and retention amounts for healthcare professionals.
The Nebraska Rural Health Workforce Incentive Program offers monetary incentives to health care providers in exchange for a service commitment to work in a rural county for a 5-year period. The program supports recruitment, retention, and expansion of clinical services in rural communities as described by the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
This program is separate and distinct from the other loan repayment programs.
New Jersey publishes RFA for Doula Integration in Rural New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is requesting proposals to integrate NJ FamilyCare Community doulas into the maternal child health care landscape. The program is intended to bolster services offered by maternal health professionals in healthcare institutions that serve rural NJ residents.
The primary goal of this RFA is to grow the size and capacity of the NJ FamilyCare Community doula workforce serving rural NJ and support their engagement in various health environments. The opportunity for such workforce development will expand the possibilities for pregnant and post-partum women who reside in rural areas of our State and help to reframe the current healthcare model.
CMS publishes agenda for March 18, 2026 Summit
This appeared on the CMS website this morning. Not much news but interesting to see speaker list.
Legislation Watch
Alabama delivers on RHT
Alabama dominates this cycle with three bills now delivered to the Governor — two direct RHTP appropriations and a new antitrust immunity measure tied to the state’s RHTP application — while the previously reported Connecticut and Oklahoma Primary bills continue advancing.
Alabama HB591: The FY2026 supplemental appropriations vehicle for Alabama’s $203.4 million RHTP award, directing federal funds to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and creating the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Rural Health Transformation Program Funds. The bill passed the House 104–0, cleared the Senate, and has been delivered to Governor Ivey for signature. Alabama Reflector
Alabama’s plan channels its award across 11 coordinated initiatives aimed at making rural facilities more financially viable, with ADECA serving as the lead fiscal agent. Governor Ivey convened the first meeting of the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group in February to guide implementation. Yellowhammer News
Both chambers have now passed HB591, and it awaits the Governor’s signature — the companion SB368 was indefinitely postponed, making this the sole vehicle for FY2026 RHTP spending authority.
Alabama HB614: The FY2027 appropriations bill for the same $203.4 million RHTP award, also directing funds through ADECA. The bill passed the House 101–0, cleared the Senate, and has been delivered to Governor Ivey alongside HB591. Alabama Reflector
Alabama is running both fiscal years through the legislature simultaneously — HB591 covers the current year through September 2026, while HB614 establishes spending authority through September 2027. Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville) sponsors both bills. Alabama Daily News
Both bills now sit on the Governor’s desk. Once signed, Alabama will have full legislative spending authority for its RHTP award through FY2027.
Alabama HB605: Creates the Rural Health Antitrust Immunity Act, authorizing collaboration among rural health care providers with limited immunity from state and federal antitrust laws. The bill establishes a certification and supervision framework through the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) — and directly references Alabama’s Rural Health Transformation Program application submitted to CMS on November 5, 2025. Alabama Reporter
Alabama’s RHTP plan includes shared-service infrastructure and innovative care models that require provider collaboration — exactly the kind of arrangements that antitrust law can chill without explicit safe harbors. HB605 removes that barrier. A companion bill, SB350, is also moving. Governor’s Office
HB605 has passed both chambers and been delivered to the Governor.
Appropriation & Budgetary Links
Six broad budget or appropriations bills carry RHTP-relevant funding or establish the fiscal framework through which RHTP dollars flow — with two newly signed into law and Oklahoma’s $12.8 billion general appropriations bill headed to the Governor.
Oklahoma SB1177: Oklahoma’s FY2027 general appropriations bill, the $12.8 billion budget deal that passed the Senate 28–17 on April 7. The budget includes $450 million in health care investments overall and $250 million appropriated to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority for Medicaid maintenance — the fiscal architecture through which Oklahoma’s $223.5 million RHTP award operates. Oklahoma Voice
Legislative leaders announced the budget includes teacher pay raises, increased health care agency funding, and state employee pension adjustments. The appropriation is 1.27% higher than the current year but well short of the $13.6 billion agencies requested. KGOU
SB1177 has passed both chambers and been sent to Governor Stitt for signature.
Missouri HB2011: Missouri’s FY2027 Department of Social Services appropriations bill — the vehicle through which RHTP funds flow at the state level. Missouri’s $216 million RHTP award is administered by DSS, which released the full application narrative and has begun accepting grant applications for hospital infrastructure projects and new service delivery. Missouri Independent
A separate supplemental spending bill approved by the House earlier in the session included $100 million of Missouri’s $216 million RHTP award. The state plans to hire more than 100 people for a new Rural Health Transformation Office and has CMS approval for its Year 1 budget. KCUR
HB2011 has passed the House and a public hearing is scheduled in the Senate for Friday, April 17.
Alaska HB289: The FY2026 supplemental appropriations bill, signed into law on April 2 as Chapter 1, SLA 2026. Alaska’s $272 million annual RHTP award — totaling up to $1.36 billion over five years — requires both operating budget authority and specific enabling legislation for interstate compacts and scope-of-practice changes. Alaska Beacon
Separately, lawmakers introduced SB 281 and HB 352 on April 10 to enact Alaska’s participation in four interstate medical licensure compacts — a prerequisite for maintaining the full RHTP award. Notably, the bills’ sponsors acknowledged that immediate passage isn’t the point; the purpose is to hear from stakeholders and determine whether the compacts serve Alaska’s interests. Alaska must pass enabling legislation by December 31, 2027 to keep the full federal award. Alaska’s News Source
HB289 is now law. The operating budget (HB263) remains in play with Amendment 59 offered.
Alaska HB263: The FY2027 operating budget, still moving through the House with Amendment 59 offered. Nearly 1,800 Letters of Interest were submitted through the state’s RHTP portal for funding opportunities, with awards expected to begin in Spring 2026. Alaska Public Media
HB263 remains in second reading on the House floor.
Alabama SB146: The State General Fund appropriations bill for FY2027, now signed into law. While RHTP funds flow through the dedicated HB591/HB614 vehicles rather than the general fund, SB146 sets the broader fiscal context including state match capacity and administrative staffing.
The bill is now enacted.
Kansas HB2513: The mega-appropriations bill, signed by the Governor on April 8 with extensive line-item vetoes across dozens of sections. Kansas has a separate dedicated RHTP bill (HB 2463) establishing the Rural Health Transformation Fund in the State Treasury administered by the State Finance Council, but HB2513 is the broader fiscal vehicle that sets spending capacity. Kansas Action for Children
Whether any of the vetoed sections affect rural health-adjacent spending requires review of specific line items. The bill is now law.