How to participate

Washington Rural Health Transformation logo (CMS)

Most of the Washington’s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) funding awards will go to groups named in our application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). However, you could still participate through competitive bid processes.

Receive RHT Program updates.

Upcoming opportunities

This year, we’ll post several opportunities through our competitive bid processes. We’ve currently planned three activities that will award funding to hospitals and providers.

We’ll select multiple applicants for both funding opportunities. Awards will be based on financial and community need, readiness, sustainability plans, alignment with value-based care, community partnerships, and innovation. The application documents will include full details.

We’re now accepting applications to Activities 4.2 and 6.4 on our bids and contracts page. However, we’re not yet accepting applications for Activity 1.4.

Sign up for RHT Program announcements for updates. You can also review the following notes about these upcoming opportunities to start planning.

Activity 1.4: Sustain and strengthen maternal, emergency, and specialty services at risk in rural areas

We plan to use $9.5 million per year of RHT funding to incentivize hospitals to develop comprehensive strategies to sustain essential services. Prioritized services include:

  • Maternity and obstetrics care
  • Emergency services
  • Other specialty care

Example: A hospital may request funds to develop remote monitoring for low-risk pregnancies, paired with capacity payments for midwives and birth centers located in rural areas. RHT funds would support start-up and implementation costs for hospitals, but applications will require a long-term sustainability plan.

Learn more in Washington’s RHT Project Narrative.

Activity 4.2: Provider technology fund

We plan to use $12.5 million per year of RHT funding to create a provider technology fund for providers. Providers may qualify for funds to sustainably expand access to high-quality care:

  • Purchase new technologies to improve operational efficiencies
  • Enable remote services (including telehealth and remote patient monitoring)
  • Improve population health via data and analytics

Learn more in Washington’s RHT Project Narrative.

Find the request documents on our bids and contracts page.

Activity 6.4: Rural opioid treatment program (OTP) recruitment and retention

We plan to use $6.2 million per year of RHT funding to establish a workforce incentive program for rural OTPs. Authorized OTPs may apply to receive incentives tied to a five-year service commitment, including:

  • Recruitment bonuses
  • Relocation support
  • Childcare stipends
  • Capacity payments

Learn more in Washington’s RHT Project Narrative.

Find the request documents on our bids and contracts page.

Other ways to work with the state

We’re not accepting proposals yet. However, we appreciate that you’re looking for ways to help rural health care.

There are many opportunities to work with Washington state:

Disclaimer: This program is supported by CMS of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a financial assistance award totaling $181,257,515.06 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.