Edited release
11/06/25
Governor Kim Reynolds announced that the state has submitted its application for the Rural Health Transformation Program, a federal funding initiative managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The proposal, titled Healthy Hometowns, is aimed at building a high-quality, sustainable system of care that improves the health, well-being, and quality of life in rural communities across the state. If fully awarded, Iowa could receive $200 million per project year period, totaling $1 billion over the 5-year grant.
Iowa HHS Director Larry Johnson said in a release from the state that Iowa’s application reflects years of thoughtful planning and collaboration. He said Iowans deserve a health care system designed for them.
Rural communities face unique and growing challenges in accessing health care. Nearly every Iowa county with below-average health insurance coverage is rural. Rural Iowans drive an average of 30 minutes to the nearest hospital and 24 minutes to see a primary care provider. These barriers are compounded by workforce shortages, chronic disease prevalence, and economic disparities.
Healthy Hometowns plans to address these challenges through a hub and spoke model of care. The initiative includes developing health hubs with investments in telehealth, medical equipment, and care for the uninsured. Other initiatives include recruiting and retaining top-tier health professionals, increasing access to cancer screenings, providing seamless access to health records across the state to support continuity of care, and bringing care directly to rural residents through mobile health services and high-risk transport support.
Iowa’s proposal also includes reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test, adding nutrition education, and expanding access to mental health providers
Notices of state awards are expected on December 31, 2025. More information about Iowa’s Rural Health Transformation proposal, including its application, is available at a link with this story on the KCJJ app and at 1630 KCJJ dot com.