BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Health is seeking public input to help shape its application for the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, which aims to improve healthcare access in rural communities.
The program, established under the Reconciliation Bill signed July 4, 2025, allocates $50 billion over five years to support rural health initiatives nationwide. States must submit transformation plans to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by early November, with approvals expected by the end of the year.
Forty-four of Louisiana’s 64 parishes are designated as fully or partially rural. About 29 percent of the state’s population lives in those areas, which report higher rates of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and tobacco use compared with urban regions.
“As a state, we have an opportunity to rethink the way we offer health in our rural communities, and I’m excited about the opportunities this program will bring,” said Bruce Greenstein, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. “Our rural task force is composed of stakeholders who truly understand rural Louisiana. We’ve thought of some innovative ideas, but we want input from around the state to ensure we’re submitting a robust application.”
The department is requesting feedback from hospitals, healthcare providers, academic institutions, community organizations, technology suppliers, and rural residents. Responses must be submitted online by 5 p.m. Sept. 24.
The request builds on the work of the Louisiana Rural Health Transformation Task Force, a group of more than 60 health professionals and stakeholders formed to redesign rural healthcare delivery.
Community meetings will be held across the state to collect additional input, with details to be posted on the department’s Rural Health Transformation Program webpage.