The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has received a first-year award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for $203,670,005 as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program. In November, DHS applied for $1 billion in funding ($200 million annually) from CMS. DHS will use the funding to create a stronger and more accessible health care system in rural communities throughout Wisconsin. With over one-third of Wisconsinites living in rural Wisconsin, these communities face unique challenges when it comes to accessing health care. Out of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, 40 are federally designated as mental health professional shortage areas, 37 as primary care shortage areas, and 34 as dental care shortage areas. CMS has not yet announced award amounts for the subsequent four years of the program.

“Especially as Republicans refuse to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, which will cause health care coverage costs to soar by thousands or tens of thousands of dollars a year for working families and seniors in Wisconsin, my administration’s work to expand access to affordable health care has never been more important,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “By securing these new investments for Wisconsin, we will be able to continue building upon our efforts to help Wisconsinites in rural areas and communities get the care they need and closer to home. We are investing in a future where the right providers – empowered by the right technology and supported by the right networks – can help us to build healthier communities, a stronger workforce, and a thriving economy.”

The investment will support:

Grants for innovative workforce projects in rural communities, support career pathways for rural health care providers, and fund services provided by community health workers.
Upgrades for rural provider systems, digital infrastructure, and develop a digital rural health care collaborative.
A competitive grant program for rural regions to create coordinated systems of care where multi-sector partnerships show a clear path to sustainability.

More information, including a project summary, about DHS’s proposal is available on the DHS Rural Health Transformation Program webpage.

“Our proposal was developed over months of hard work in collaboration with over 200 partners,” said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. “We look forward to partnering with rural communities to implement these initiatives and drive sustainable change.”

DHS will partner with rural health care providers, local and Tribal governments, and other private and public partners to ensure local expertise drives this work.

DHS is also in the process of recruiting for a team to manage this project. Information about recruitment opportunities will be posted on the DHS careers webpage.

photo credit: WI Dept of Health Services

Published on: Dec 31, 2025 at 10:52 am