Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has announced the submission of the state’s Rural Health Transformation Program Plan for federal review, marking a major step in addressing healthcare access and outcomes in rural communities. The plan aligns with the $50 billion national Rural Health Transformation Program launched by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in September 2025.
“This program is a tremendous opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of Mississippians—particularly those living in rural communities,” Governor Reeves said during the November 4 announcement.
Under the program, each state will receive an initial share of funding, $500 million over five years for Mississippi, from a $25 billion allocation distributed evenly nationwide. The remaining $25 billion will be awarded competitively based on state applications that demonstrate measurable health needs and improvement strategies.
Mississippi’s proposal focuses on six key initiatives: a statewide health assessment, coordinated regional healthcare systems, workforce expansion, technology modernization, telehealth access, and healthcare infrastructure improvement. The initiatives were developed through a multi-agency effort involving the Mississippi Division of Medicaid, Department of Health, and Department of Education, supported by feedback from healthcare providers, legislators, and community organizations.
To ensure accountability, an independent third party will oversee fund deployment, track performance metrics, and coordinate with state agencies to monitor health outcomes. “This is about improving the health of our citizens through measurable results,” Reeves said.
Given that most of Mississippi’s 82 counties are considered rural, the governor emphasized that all regions, urban and rural alike, will benefit from the initiative. CMS is expected to begin issuing funding to states by December 31, 2025, marking the start of what Reeves described as “a transformative era for Mississippi’s healthcare system.”
