Iowa’s Healthy Hometowns plan includes five key initiatives—Hometown Connections, Combat Cancer: Prevent and Treat, Communities of Care, Health Information Exchange, and EMS Community Care Mobile—and could receive up to $200 million annually over five years, totaling $1 billion if fully awarded. The state was the first in the nation to award RHTP funding, receiving $209 million for the first year.
Iowa received its first-year federal RHT award of $209 million and launched its Healthy Hometowns initiative. The state has begun releasing multiple funding opportunities, including the 'Combat Cancer Health Hub' RFP and procurement for medical equipment, with application webinars and guidance for providers. Notices of Intent indicate further RFPs for specific components, showing active state-level procurement to rural providers. This demonstrates a clear transition into the implementation phase. State opportunities: 3 active (3 open), $50.0M listed funding. Key opportunities: Healthy Hometowns: Iowa’s RHTP; High-risk Obstetric and Neonatal Transport Projects in Rural Iowa; Iowa Maternal Health Hub and Spoke Networks Grant. Strategy alignment: supports workforce, prevention, maternal health priorities.
RHTP Strategy
Iowa's Healthy Hometowns RHTP strategy executes a statewide, initiative-driven transformation model featuring system integration, cancer prevention and treatment, collaborative care models, and health information technology advancements. Implementation will prioritize rural provider partnerships, coordinated hub and spoke networks for maternal health, workforce development, modern equipment, and integrated service delivery expansion to improve rural health outcomes during FY2026–2030.
Model
Statewide, coordinated system transformation leveraging initiative-based investments for rural system modernization, integrated service delivery, workforce expansion, data infrastructure, and innovative care models.
Key Initiatives
1Hometown Connections: expand rural connectivity and partnerships to strengthen system integration and care access.
2Combat Cancer: Prevent and Treat—implement comprehensive cancer prevention, screening, and treatment programs via dedicated hubs and new funding streams.
3Communities of Care—pilot co-located service delivery sites and embed Community Health Workers for chronic disease management and care coordination.
4Health Information Exchange—modernize and expand digital health and health IT infrastructure to enable statewide data sharing and analytics.
5EMS Community Care Mobile—expand mobile EMS services tailored to rural needs.
6Maternal Health Hub and Spoke Networks—establish hub and spoke care networks for maternal health, incorporating rural provider agreements, telehealth expansion, and workforce recruitment.
7Best and Brightest Medical Equipment—conduct competitive procurements for rural equipment upgrades and implement rural workforce recruitment incentives.
Timeline: Federal RHTP funding spans FY2026–2030; Iowa awarded funds in December 2025, with major RFPs released July–September 2026.
Health Priority
Rural Health System Sustainability: Focus on building a sustainable and high-quality rural health care system integrating multiple care initiatives. (Regions: Statewide rural regions)
May 28, 2026
Health Priority
Cancer Prevention and Treatment: A key initiative targeting improved cancer outcomes through prevention and treatment services. (Regions: Rural Iowa)
May 28, 2026
Program Update
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by Iowa Department of Health and Human Services seeking input on maternal health hub and spoke networks of care specifically targeting rural Iowa. It focuses on telehealth, provider consultation, and partnership agreements to improve maternal health care access and coordination.
Apr 27, 2026
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2025
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IA - 2025 - Iowa STATE OF IOWA KIM REYNOLDS RHTP 2025 Application
Healthy Hometowns is Iowa’s ambitious rural health transformation plan proposing up to $1 billion over 5 years from CMS Rural Health Transformation Program focused on building Health Hubs, workforce expansion, cancer care, health information exchange, community care, and EMS mobile telehealth services.
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by Iowa Department of Health and Human Services seeking input on maternal health hub and spoke networks of care specifically targeting rural Iowa. It focuses on telehealth, provider consultation, and partnership agreements to improve maternal health care access and coordination.
Iowa HHS issued a Notice of Intent to Award for a $66M CMS/HHS-funded medical equipment procurement for numerous rural hospitals statewide. Awards are not final until contracts are executed. This funding will modernize hospital equipment throughout rural Iowa.
Award: $66.0M
Core Initiatives
Guidance Documents (7)
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GuidancePDF2026
This document is a Request for Information issued by Iowa HHS as part of the state's Rural Health Transformation Program strategy, Healthy Hometowns, under the federal RHTP. The initiative focuses on building a maternal health Hub and Spoke network of care to improve rural health outcomes and access, especially for maternal and behavioral health. The RFI solicits best practices and industry input but commits to no immediate award or selection.
Core Initiatives
Increase access to rural care at appropriate care levels
Reduce morbidity and premature mortality in rural populations
Invest in innovative technology and data infrastructure for sustainable care
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announces a forthcoming RFP for pilot projects focused on co-located service delivery with emphasis on chronic disease prevention and care coordination. The RFP includes embedding Community Health Workers to improve care coordination.
Iowa DHS will release an RFP for three projects to improve EMS transport capacity for high-risk obstetric and neonatal patients to enhance rural perinatal care. The funding opportunity is supported fully by CMS/HHS with over $209 million.
This document summarizes eligible RHTP FY26 state applications for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Each state proposes multi-dimensional initiatives focusing on rural hospital stability, workforce expansion, quality improvement, technology modernization (including telehealth), maternal and behavioral health, and population health management. Aggregate federal funding requests range from $150M–$275M per state, with robust strategic alignment to RHTP priorities. Application details reflect a broad mix of direct services, infrastructure improvements, and innovation pilots.
Core Initiatives
Making Rural America Healthy Again
Expand access to primary and specialty care for rural populations
Advance population health through prevention and management of chronic disease
Show all initiatives (14)
Making Rural America Healthy Again
Expand access to primary and specialty care for rural populations
Advance population health through prevention and management of chronic disease
Improve maternal and infant outcomes
Promote value-based care and sustainable rural health systems
Modernize health IT, telehealth, and data infrastructure
Build and stabilize the rural health workforce
Empower rural Mainers to achieve their own healthy living goals through expanded population health solutions.
Expand the supply of care by growing a rural workforce and spreading technologies that connect every community to advanced care.
Ensure care will be available and affordable long into Maine’s future by pairing affordability measures with strategies that advance quality, efficiency, and fiscal durability.
Improve access to care through clinically integrated networks (CINs), community-based clinics in K-12 schools and college campuses, and mobile health care services, rural hospital improvements, and home visits.
Improve health outcomes through expansions of behavioral health services.
Improve chronic disease health outcomes such as reduced A1C and increased levels of hypertension management.
Expand technology to build remote monitoring and telehealth, expand electronic medical record (EMR) usage for pharmacists, and pilot innovative screening technologies for chronic disease management.
The Healthy Hometowns program aims to reduce avoidable emergency department visits, increase local care and telehealth services, and improve provider-to-population ratios in rural Iowa. It includes multiple initiatives focusing on network development, workforce recruitment, cancer prevention, chronic disease management, health information exchange, and EMS integration.
Governor Reynolds shares a vision for improving health care quality and accessibility in Iowa, emphasizing the Rural Health Transformation Program funding of $209 million in year one. Healthy Hometowns is the cornerstone initiative, focusing on rural health care accessibility, connectivity, and patient focus, with significant investments in cancer prevention and treatment.
Event schedule:
- Cancer research project start - 07/01/2025
- Cancer research project end - 06/30/2026
Award: $209.0MPOPULATION_HEALTH · QUALITY_IMPROVEMENT · OTHER
The Iowa Rural Health Transformation Program (Healthy Hometowns) application outlines comprehensive strategies to address chronic disease, cancer, workforce gaps, EMS, and health information exchange inequities facing rural Iowa. Data tables document substantial disparities in access, health outcomes, workforce distribution, and system performance between rural and urban areas. The technical alignment matrix details multi-sector integrated approaches, including hub-and-spoke models, technology adoption, community partnerships, and targeted workforce initiatives.
This application outlines Iowa's strategy to leverage the Rural Health Transformation Program for significant improvements in rural health care. Key initiatives include care coordination, specialty access, workforce recruitment, cancer prevention and treatment, telehealth investments, health information exchange expansion, and EMS innovation. The plan targets measurable improvements in access, local service availability, care coordination, and rural health outcomes.
Iowa's application sets forth an ambitious, five-year transformation plan emphasizing a hub-and-spoke care model, population health, technology, health information exchange, and strategic rural partnerships. Major initiatives include Hometown Connections, EMS Community Care Mobile, Communities of Care, and Combat Cancer: Prevent and Treat. The strategy addresses rural infrastructure, workforce gaps, access barriers, and chronic disease through innovative and evidence-based approaches.
Strengthen rural health care access through partnerships and hubs-and-spokes.
Reduce rural-urban disparities in morbidity and mortality.
Invest in innovative technology and data infrastructure for sustainable rural care.
Show all initiatives (22)
Strengthen rural health care access through partnerships and hubs-and-spokes.
Reduce rural-urban disparities in morbidity and mortality.
Invest in innovative technology and data infrastructure for sustainable rural care.
Improving access: Iowa will develop Health Hubs to provide care within rural communities to address cardiovascular health, cancer, mental and behavioral health, maternal and child health, and chronic disease prevention and treatment. Iowa will increase providers in rural areas, leverage telehealth, and identify transportation solutions to enhance access to care.
Improving outcomes: Iowa will improve outcomes by increasing access to preventive care, care coordination, screenings for earlier detection or disease, and visits to manage chronic disease.
Technology use: Iowa will use telehealth services and remote patient monitoring to support care.
Partnerships: Iowa will prioritize partnerships between healthcare systems (rather than within existing affiliations) to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, while preserving patient choice.
Workforce: Iowa plans salary enhancements, workforce recruitment strategies, and rural facility equipment upgrades to entice providers to join rural practices as part of Best and Brightest.
Data-driven solutions: Iowa will connect rural providers to the Health Information Exchange.
Make rural America healthy again: Providing cancer prevention and screening are evidence-based approaches for improving disease prevention and treatment. Expanding access to cancer care will enable rural Americans to receive the care they need for cancer through treatment to survivorship.
Site Activity (25)
IA - 2026 - RFI# COMPADM26006 Maternal Health Hub and Spoke Networks of Care (228.35 KB) .pdf
IA - 2026 - Notice of Intent to Award - RFP # PHTHORC26009 Best and Brightest- Medical Equipment Procurement, Amendment 1 Posted 2-27-26 to 3-6-26 (218.24 KB).pdf (218.24 KB) .pdf
Documents predating or adjacent to the RHTP program — useful background, excluded from main activity feed.
IA - 2022 - Service Contracting | Health & Human Services
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Iowa Code Chapter 135M: Prescription Drug Donation Repository
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IA - 2026 - Notice of Intent to Release for Cardiovascular Health Hub and Spokes, RFP # COMPADM26007 (167.54 KB) .pdf
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IA - 2026 - Notice of Intent to Release for Mobile Integrated Health, RFP # PHTHOET27001 (190.93 KB) .pdf
This slide deck provides instructions for applicants interested in Iowa's Rural Health Transformation Program - Best and Brightest Medical Equipment RFP, funded by CMS/HHS. The program will support capital equipment purchases and workforce recruitment for rural hospitals and providers to increase healthcare access, modernize equipment, and reduce outmigration for care. No awards are announced herein; document serves as application and process guidance.
Budget: $50.0M
Core Initiatives
Develop and support new and existing rural access points for care
Improve sustainable, long-term access to rural health providers
Recruit and retain rural health workforce and maximize use of licensure
Show all initiatives (5)
Develop and support new and existing rural access points for care
Improve sustainable, long-term access to rural health providers
Recruit and retain rural health workforce and maximize use of licensure
Implement innovative models of care and technology
Invest in data infrastructures to support sustainable rural care
Improve access to medical equipment for rural hospitals across Iowa.
Core Initiatives
Support rural hospitals and their partners
Build collaborations for long term systemic sustainability of rural healthcare
Prevent and treat chronic disease
Show all initiatives (5)
Support rural hospitals and their partners
Build collaborations for long term systemic sustainability of rural healthcare
Implement a hub-and-spoke system to address rural provider partnerships and expand access to specialty care.
Strengthen the rural health workforce and clinical infrastructure, including EMS and telehealth capacity.
Improve population health and chronic disease prevention in rural Iowa through integrated care and technology.
Core Initiatives
Increase rural provider to population ratios
Reduce emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions
Increase rural residents receiving care locally through new or expanded service lines
Show all initiatives (5)
Increase rural provider to population ratios
Reduce emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions
Increase rural residents receiving care locally through new or expanded service lines
Expand telehealth consultations delivered to rural residents
Advance cancer prevention, screening, and treatment
Sustainable Access: Providing investment capital to fund start-up and implementation costs for oncology Health Hub partnerships, investing in telemedicine expansion, and increasing interoperability through the HIE will result in sustainable access to cancer care by subsidizing start-up costs and operational efficiencies.
Workforce Development: Workforce education and credentialing in oncology care, recruitment and retention of oncology workforce, and training radon mitigators.
Tech innovation: Oncology care modules, telemedicine (tele-oncology, tele-pharmacy).
Make rural America healthy again by supporting rural health innovations, promoting preventive health, addressing root causes of diseases, and providing wrap around social care through community-based Health Hub systems.
Provide sustainable access by encouraging co-location models for multiple service lines at one location in rural areas.
Expand innovative care by creating rural chronic disease prevention and management hubs that improve health outcomes, coordinate care, promote flexible care arrangements, and increase access to chronic disease prevention for rural Iowans.
Support rural providers in accessing and sharing longitudinal patient data securely to improve care coordination and outcomes.
Transform prehospital care with EMS system development, mobile integrated health care, and high-risk OB and neonatal transport to strengthen workforce, integrate telehealth, and reduce unnecessary ED visits and hospital transports.
Make rural America healthy again: Support rural health innovations through new care access points with mobile integrated health care units serving patients in their homes or at other community sites. Implement evidence-based, outcomes-driven interventions to improve chronic disease prevention and management through MIH units.
Sustainable access: Help rural hospital OB units remain operational by providing access to High-Risk OB and Neonatal transport when needed. Offer tele-health through Mobile Integrated Health units within High-risk OB and Neonatal transport vehicles.
Workforce Development: Expand training for EMS clinicians, creating career pathways and improving retention.
Innovative care: High-risk OB and Neonatal Transport involve coordinated care and flexible care arrangements. High-risk OB and Neonatal Transport and Mobile Integrated Health projects make EMS providers a larger part of the care team and allow them to practice at the top of their licenses.
Iowa Code 2019, Section 135.25 - Emergency Medical Services Fund
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Iowa Code 2019, Section 16.54 - Home ownership assistance program for military members