Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announces that Kansas has been warded $221 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or C-M-S to support the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program.

The funding will strengthen rural health systems, expand access to care, and improve health outcomes for Kansans across the state. Kelly stated that funding award exceeds the base amount states allocated and reflects the quality of Kansas’ application. She added that funding for Kansas will go a long way in fundamentally changing the health care delivery system for rural communities across the state.

The funding is intended to strengthen rural health systems with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment serving as the lead agency. K-D-H-E will coordinate with key stakeholders, including the Rural Health Alliance, to ensure funds are distributed according to the approved framework and federal requirements, supporting projects focused on expanding primary and secondary prevention programs, securing local access to primary care, building a sustainable rural health workforce, enabling value-based care, and harnessing data and technology.