Three states have outlined plans to address cancer care access as part of their participation in the new CMS Rural Health Transformation Program.
The application window for the program ran from Sept. 15 to Nov. 5., and final awards were issued Dec. 29. All 50 states received part of the program’s $50 billion in funding across five-years. The program was established under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and expanded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
States were required to submit project abstracts summarizing how the funding would be utilized and the anticipated outcomes. Three states — Alabama, Iowa and North Carolina — outlined plans specific to cancer care.
Alabama plans to address cancer care deserts through digital regionalization and mobile screening models. Through regionalization, the state will create products and services tailored to the needs of a geographic region.
Iowa will use the funds to support its Healthy Hometowns program, which works toward establishing sustainable, long-term initiatives that prevent and treat chronic diseases, including cancer. The state plans to form cancer-specific “Health Hubs” and increase access to cancer screening, treatment and supportive care services. These services will include radon testing and mitigation, mammography, MRIs, FIT testing, colonoscopies and virtual skin cancer checks.
North Carolina plans on “scaling up effective programs” to improve prevention and screening rates in the state.
Read all 50 state abstracts here.
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