Implementation would be led by the Department of Health in partnership with community and industry leaders.

Extensive public input and stakeholder engagement underpinned the plan, including roundtables and a tele-townhall with tens of thousands of participants.

The proposal complements Morrisey’s four-pillar health initiative, including healthier school meals, SNAP reforms tied to employment, and a USDA waiver removing soda from SNAP benefits.

CMS plans to announce award decisions by year-end, even as a federal government shutdown coincides with the reporting period.

The application was shaped by thousands of pages of input from public meetings, roundtables, and the tele-townhall, with the Department of Health to lead implementation alongside community and industry partners.

The plan links to the broader One Big Beautiful Bill Act, suggesting the funding would partially offset anticipated federal Medicaid reductions and impact on hospitals nationwide.

Officials frame improved health outcomes as foundational to boosting workforce participation and addressing high disability rates in the state.

West Virginia has officially submitted its application for the Rural Health Transformation Fund, seeking more than $100 million per year for five years to modernize rural health care.

Governor Morrisey says the state is making its best case under a new process, emphasizing the potential for significant benefits from the initiative.

The submission, announced by the governor, outlines a comprehensive plan to expand access, improve quality, and reduce barriers to work by making care more affordable and effective.

The plan focuses on expanding access, enhancing quality, and removing barriers to work through more affordable and accessible health care.

Public input was central to development, with extensive stakeholder engagement, roundtables, and a statewide tele-townhall that drew more than 17,000 participants.

Governor Morrisey characterizes the submission as a chance for innovative, generational change for West Virginians.

The initiative centers on seven core areas, including connected care and telehealth, a transport and mobility platform, a Mountaineer Care Force to recruit clinicians, and technology and workforce development components.

Key components also include a unified health mobility platform, an EMS treatment-in-place program to reduce ER visits, and a Health to Prosperity Pipeline to reconnect recovery with employment.

West Virginia aims to become a national hub for rural health innovation, modernizing care delivery and payment systems.

The Rural Health Transformation program envisions $10 billion per year nationwide from 2026 to 2030, with funds distributed partly by population and partly by health metrics.

At its core, the project seeks to improve rural health care while advancing workforce development and economic growth in West Virginia.

McKinsey & Company was contracted for $2 million to develop the application, with broad public feedback and bipartisan support from more than 40 letters of endorsement.

Additional elements cover Smart Care Catalyst to modernize technology and shift to value-based care, a Food as Medicine program, and HealthTech Appalachia to spur health tech growth.

If approved, the plan could secure more than $100 million annually for five years to expand access, improve quality, and address barriers to workforce participation.

Overall, the program seeks to transform rural health infrastructure, expand access, and improve outcomes across the country, with a $50 billion nationwide fund.

The plan aims to create permanent, results-based infrastructure that helps West Virginians live longer, healthier lives through affordability and accessibility.

The full Rural Health Transformation application is expected to be released in the coming days.

If approved, the funding would amount to about $100 million per year for five years under the initiative nicknamed the Big Beautiful Bill.