The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a federal initiative created by H.R. 1, the federal reconciliation bill from 2025. The program authorizes $50 billion nationally over five years to support rural health system improvements, with funding awarded annually to states based on rural population, infrastructure, hospital need, and appliation strength.
Georgia has received an initial award of $218,862,170 in RHTP funds for its Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health (GREAT Health) program. This funding will support 29 projects or strategies across five major initiatives focused on transitioning rural healthcare providers to a value-based care payment model.
Georgia RHTP Year 1 Spending Breakdown
See the Year 1 Budget Summary Chart
START HERE
Important Deadlines
- Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce GME funding: Interested programs must notify GBHCW via the new form no later than Feb. 13. More information below.
- The deadline to submit a signed Letter of Intent to Participate in the AHEAD Model is March 15, 2026. More information below.
Year 1 Implementation Updates
The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) released additional information on Year 1 implementation of the GREAT Health (Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health) Program, Georgia’s Rural Health Transformation Program.
Eligible hospitals received an email on Friday, Jan. 9, from DCH Commissioner Dean Burke with information about participating in the AHEAD (Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design) Model pre-implementation evaluations.
Application for GME funding
The Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce (GBHCW) has created a form for hospitals interested in receiving graduate medical education (GME) funding under the GREAT Health (Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health) Program, Georgia’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Funding is available for up to 75 residency slots across the state. If awarded, this program provides $200,000 per year, per GME slot to support residency expansion. See more details and important deadlines.
Webinars and Education
AHEAD Model Webinar
On Jan. 15, DCH held a webinar to provide an overview on the AHEAD (Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design) Model, a new value-based care initiative for rural areas coordinated with the state's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) application. Watch the recording.
NOTE: The deadline to submit a signed Letter of Intent to Participate in the AHEAD Model is March 15, 2026.
How Georgia plans to use the funds
Georgia’s application distributes funding to healthcare providers, state agencies, consultants, and vendors across five major initiatives.
- Transforming for a Sustainable Health System in Rural Georgia
- Strengthening the Continuum of Care in Rural Georgia
- Connecting to Care to Improve Healthcare Access in Rural Georgia
- Growing a Highly Skilled Healthcare Workforce in Rural Georgia
- Leveraging Technology for Healthcare Innovations in Rural Georgia