[link removed] [[link removed]]Aloha,
This week Governor Josh Green announced that Hawaii has been awarded nearly $190 million through the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) as part of a historic $50 billion national investment to strengthen rural healthcare in all 50 states.
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“This investment allows Hawaii to finally close the distance between rural communities and the care they deserve,” Governor Green said. “Whether someone lives in Hilo, Hana, Hanapepe, or Molokai, they should have access to quality primary care, behavioral health services, emergency response and modern technology, not just those who live in Honolulu.”
Governor Green worked directly with national leaders at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CMS to help shape the RHTP as a nationwide initiative, ensuring rural communities in all 50 states, including Hawaii, would be eligible for funding.
The $188,892,440 award covers federal fiscal year 2026 and represents the first year of funding, with additional annual awards expected through 2030.
When evaluated on a per-rural-resident basis using federal rural population data, Hawaii’s funding translates to one of the highest levels of investment in the nation, per capita.
The award will support implementation of the Hawaii Rural Health Transformation Plan, a five-year strategy to modernize healthcare delivery across Hawaii’s rural and neighbor-island communities, where 95.1% of the state’s land area is rural and access to care is limited by geography, workforce shortages and infrastructure gaps.
Healthcare services in Hawaii are heavily concentrated on Oahu, leaving rural residents to travel long distances for specialty care, behavioral health services, and emergency treatment — while rural hospitals and clinics face rising costs, staffing shortages and outdated digital systems that limit their ability to serve patients.
Recognizing the urgency of Hawaii’s rural healthcare challenges, the Governor’s Office launched a statewide planning effort last year that included community input.
The resulting plan centers on six coordinated initiatives:
* Rural Health Information Network (RHIN) — A statewide digital backbone linking rural hospitals, clinics, and health centers through interoperable electronic health records, wireless networks and shared data hubs.
* Pili Ola Telehealth Network — A statewide telehealth system connecting rural communities to providers while expanding virtual care and telehealth training.
* Rural Infrastructure for Care Access (RICA) — Expansion of emergency medical services, mobile healthcare, community paramedicine and behavioral health capacity in rural areas.
* HOME RUN (Hawaii Outreach for Medical Education in Rural Under-resourced Neighborhoods) — A workforce pipeline providing training, residencies, scholarships and mentoring to recruit and retain rural healthcare professionals.
* Rural Respite Network — Expansion of the medical respite model to rural communities to reduce avoidable hospitalizations among unhoused and post-acute patients.
* Rural Value-Based Innovation and AHEAD Readiness Fund — A competitive fund to help rural providers adopt innovative, value-based care models and prepare for CMS’ AHEAD payment system.
“This is how we turn federal dollars into real results for real people,” Josh said. “Stronger emergency response, better mental healthcare, modern digital systems, and a local workforce trained to serve their own communities — that’s what this funding makes possible.”
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Mahalo,
Team Green
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