Maryland Department of Health Announces $80 Million in First Round of Rural Health Transformation Program Awards
Press Release|Monday, August 10, 2026
Updated: Monday, August 10, 2026
ANNAPOLIS, MD— Governor Moore today announced the Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and the Maryland Health Care Commission, awarded $80 million in grant funding across 41 grantees for the first year of Maryland’s Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen and expand access to primary care, behavioral health care and dental services while also innovating to improve the quality of care delivered and reduce costs to the overall healthcare system. These efforts are estimated to expand primary care services to tens of thousands of additional rural Marylanders. The funds support projects and initiatives that reflect the healthcare needs of rural communities, as identified by rural stakeholders throughout the last year.
“Marylanders’ ability to access affordable and quality health care should not depend on their zip code,”said Gov. Moore. “This $80 million allocation is another step in our administration’s commitment to investing and expanding innovative initiatives to drive health outcomes for Maryland’s rural communities, leaving no one behind.”
Funded projects will promote sustainable access, innovative care and technology advances to improve health outcomes. The projects will advance a range of initiatives that meet specific community challenges. They include hub-and-spoke models for telehealth services, virtual and mobile services for pediatric specialty care, integrated behavioral health and primary care services, 3D printing to tackle oral health needs, among others.
“We are immensely thankful to our rural partners and stakeholders for their dedication to this initiative and for submitting applications to help uplift their communities,” said Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “We are incredibly inspired by the multi-sector collaborative approach to these projects, which will make a meaningful difference in people’s ability to access high-quality care.”
The Moore-Miller administration has worked tirelessly to increase access to accessible and affordable healthcare across the state. In December 2025, Maryland was awarded $168 million in federal funding for the program’s first budget period to strengthen and modernize health care in the 18 state-designated rural areas. Maryland’s Rural Health Transformation Program funding, which is renewable over five years, will enhance the state’s ongoing efforts to improve health care access and affordability in Maryland’s rural communities.
The Maryland Department of Health engaged with the state’s rural community members and organizations to inform the program proposal submission last fall. Through an open request for information, public listening sessions, numerous meetings and additional engagements, the State heard feedback and input from stakeholders representing wide interests across the state. The final proposal, submitted in November, reflected significant feedback from rural Marylanders and State partners. Stakeholder engagement continues via the Rural Health Transformation Committee, which includes community members, organizations and federal and state elected officials who represent rural regions of the state. The committee met quarterly in 2026 to provide advice on implementation of the funding and to further the Department’s engagement with rural communities throughout the program.
“The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is helping states like Maryland develop innovative, locally driven solutions to improve rural Americans’ access to high-quality care,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “These first grant awards demonstrate how this historic investment is empowering rural communities to strengthen their health systems, put patients first, and bring better care closer to home.”
For more information about the program and the full list of grantees, visit Maryland’s Rural Health Transformation Program webpage
The Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $168,180,837.61 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.
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