DSS Invites Rural Health Organizations To Upcoming RHTP Webinar Series

The Missouri Department of Social Services invites rural health care providers, community-based organizations and other stakeholders to participate in a series of informational webinars supporting Missouri’s implementation of the Rural Health Transformation Program.

The four webinars will take place from 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays from April 22 through May 13. Topics covered will include an overview of the RHTP, the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Care model and the Hub Anchor role.

These informational sessions are timely, as Missouri begins implementing RHTP following recent approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of $216 million in Year 1 funding, covering the period through Sept. 30, 2027. This approval allows the state to move from planning to full implementation of ToRCH Care, the statewide strategy designed to improve access to health care in rural communities.

The funding will be spread across the following five pillars.

• Activating Regional Networks and Local Hubs ($52 million)
• Advancing Sustainability Through Payment Reform ($9 million)
• Laying the Digital Foundation for Long-Term Transformation ($56 million)
• Expanding and Retaining Rural Health Workforce ($18 million)
• Strengthening Rural Providers and Modernizing Service Delivery ($57 million)

An additional $24 million will provide strategic and operational support to coordinate and execute the RHTP statewide.

Learn more and view the detailed funding breakdowns of the Year 1 award.

About the Rural Health Transformation Program

The Rural Health Transformation Program, created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), is a landmark federal initiative to strengthen rural Americans' health care access and outcomes through sustainability and innovation. Beginning in 2026, the program provides $50 billion over five years, divided equally between state-distributed funds and competitive grants to states awarded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Missouri's state-led initiative, known as Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH Care) and coordinated by the MO HealthNet Division within the Missouri Department of Social Services, received a $216 million award from CMS for the first year of the program. ToRCH Care is expected to build local partnerships, expand care coordination and build capacity through a “community hub” model. Rural hospitals, clinics and provider networks are expected to be the primary recipients of these funds. These investments are especially critical as hospitals face future reductions in Medicaid state-directed payments and provider tax matching rates, which disproportionately impact rural hospitals.