Edited release
11/10/26
Iowa was awarded over $216 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, marking the next phase of the state’s multi‑year Rural Health Transformation Program, Healthy Hometowns. The additional Year 2 funding, compared to Iowa’s Year 1 award of over $209 million, reflects continued confidence in Iowa’s implementation of Healthy Hometowns and the state’s leadership in transforming rural health care delivery, expanding access to essential services including cancer treatment and prevention, and building long‑term sustainability for hospitals and clinics across rural Iowa.
Healthy Hometowns is designed to ensure rural Iowans can access high‑quality care close to home. Through strategic investments in clinical services, technology modernization, workforce development, and care coordination, Iowa is working to build a more resilient rural health system.
Dr. Robert Kruse is the state’s Health and Human Services Medical Director. He says expanding access to care means strengthening the workforce, supporting clinical services, and connecting rural providers with the resources and technology they need to deliver high‑quality care.
Iowa HHS maintains a publicly accessible Rural Health Transformation Dashboard that provides information on funding, investments, and measurable outcomes as the initiative progresses. The dashboard and additional information about Iowa’s Rural Health Transformation Project are available at hhs.iowa.gov/HealthyHometowns.