Rural Clinics and Satellite Clinics
Start-up funding for new rural and satellite clinics offering primary, dental, behavioral, chronic and urgent care.
RHTP state profile · Florida
Florida Rural Health Transformation Program
Florida received $209.9 million in Year 1 of the $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program, 14th of 50 states. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) runs the program, which funds 15 initiatives for rural communities across four regions, centered on the 31 counties state law defines as rural, from rural clinics and mobile health to telehealth and remote monitoring.
Year 1 awards, all 50 statesFL: $209.9M
Texas $281.3MNew Jersey $147.3M
$209.9MYear 1 award, 14th of 50
15Funded initiatives
31 / 67Florida counties are rural under state law
AHCAFlorida Agency for Health Care Administration
Spending data in the RHTP Year One Report covers December 29, 2025 to July 31, 2026, the latest CMS reporting window.
At a glance
Florida's program at a glance
The award is fixed for the year. Spending moves every quarter, so Florida's section of the RHTP Year One Report tracks how much was put to work, and with whom, through July 31, 2026. It updates after each CMS data release.
Year 1 award$209,938,195, 14th of 50 states
Run byFlorida Agency for Health Care Administration
Budget Period 1December 29, 2025 to October 30, 2026
Initiatives15
Rural counties31 of 67
Spending data through July 31, 2026Florida's section of the Year One Report →Initiatives
What does Florida's RHTP fund?
Florida's RHTP funds 15 initiatives across rural clinics, care at home, telehealth, workforce, nutrition, value-based payment and health IT. AHCA bundled them into six Year 1 Requests for Applications and split the funding across four regions by rural population.
Mobile Health
Mobile units that bring screenings, prenatal care and rehabilitation to rural areas and share data through the Florida Health Information Exchange.
Community Paramedicine
Paramedics and other practitioners treat minor illnesses on site and follow up after hospital discharge to prevent readmissions.
Behavioral Health Telehealth and Telehub
Regional telehealth hubs offering same-day psychiatric consults, therapy and coordinated care.
Tele-Specialties and Imaging
Virtual specialty clinics, such as cardiology, oncology and neurology, at rural hospitals and clinics.
Tele-ICU (eICU)
Remote critical care physicians and nurses monitor rural ICU patients around the clock.
Hub-and-Spoke Telestroke with Transfer
Rural emergency departments connect to stroke specialists by video, with CT scans sent electronically for fast review.
Workforce Development
Training partnerships with high schools and colleges for allied health workers, who commit to five years of rural service.
Value-Based Purchasing
Helps rural providers move from fee-for-service to payment tied to performance.
Remote Patient Telemonitoring
Connected devices send blood pressure, glucose and weight readings to care teams.
Health and Lifestyle
Screens for food insecurity, offers nutrition counseling and links families to food resources.
On-Site Pharmacy
Funding for on-site clinical support or telehealth kiosks at local pharmacies.
Diagnostic Technology Support
Funding for cloud-based systems that store and share medical images (PACS).
Florida HIE and ENS Onboarding
Connects rural providers to the Florida Health Information Exchange and its Encounter Notification Service.
Integrated Medicare-Medicaid Plans Education and Outreach
Education and outreach to help people with both Medicare and Medicaid choose integrated plans (D-SNPs).
Recipients by initiative are in Florida's section of the RHTP Year One Report.
Source documents
Florida's full plan is public
The approved plan has more detail than any summary: funding for each initiative, the regional split and contract rules. Read it before responding to a Florida Request for Applications.
PDFAHCAFlorida RHT Program Budget NarrativeAHCA's revised Year 1 budget, with funding for each of the 15 initiatives and the four-region split.PDFGovernor's OfficeFlorida Year 1 RHTP AwardeesThe August 2026 list of Year 1 awards by region and initiative.PDFCMSFlorida RHT Application AbstractFlorida's own summary of its plan, published by CMS.PDFCMSCMS 50-State SpotlightsCMS's short profile of each state's program, including Florida's.
Rural county (31)Other counties (36)
Eligibility
Which Florida counties are eligible for RHTP funding?
Florida's RHTP is not limited to a fixed list of counties: AHCA accepts applicants located in or serving eligible rural communities anywhere in the state, including rural areas inside metropolitan counties. The plan centers on the 31 of Florida's 67 counties that state law defines as rural, home to about 1.2 million residents, and AHCA splits funding across four regions by rural population. Each Request for Applications states its own eligibility rules.
How to apply
How can Florida providers apply for RHTP funding?
Florida providers apply through competitive Requests for Applications (RFAs) from the Agency for Health Care Administration, posted on the MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Information Portal under Grant Opportunities. Vendors compete for AHCA's program support contracts through Requests for Quotes under state term contracts. All Year 1 funds have been awarded, and Year 2 dates have not been announced. Providers and vendors don't apply to CMS directly.
- Match the work to an initiative.Year 1 RFAs bundled the 15 initiatives into six opportunities, and funding only goes to work that fits them.
- Watch for new rounds.Check MyFloridaMarketPlace under Grant Opportunities, and sign up for AHCA's Florida Medicaid Health Care Alerts.
- Register in SAM.gov.It is standard for federally funded grants and contracts.
- Plan for federal rules.Grant recipients follow federal grant, reporting and audit rules. A Single Audit applies at $1 million or more in federal spending a year.
- Ask AHCA directly.Email RHTP@ahca.myflorida.com. While an RFA is open, questions go to the sole point of contact named in it.
Federal terms
Four rules that shape every award
Federal terms follow the money down to every Florida recipient.
Grants and contracts carry different obligations
A subaward makes your organization a subrecipient that carries out part of the program, with federal reporting and audit requirements. A contract pays for goods or services, with lighter requirements.
New rounds follow CMS budget approval
States can't post funding opportunities until CMS approves their budget, so windows can open months into a budget period.
Workforce incentives need a rural commitment
Recruitment and retention payments require clinicians to commit to serving rural communities for at least five years.
Recipients must disclose the federal funding
Under the Stevens Amendment, websites, social posts and other public materials about a funded project must name the federal funding.
Allowable costs
What can Florida's RHTP funding pay for?
Florida's RHTP funding can pay for work on existing facilities, uncovered care, technology and administration, within federal caps on each use. Applied to Florida's Year 1 award, the maximums are:
Capital and infrastructure20% of award
About $42.0M
Provider payments15% of award
About $31.5M
Administrative costs10% of award
About $21.0M
Rural Tech Catalyst Fund10% or $20M, whichever is less
$20.0M
Replacing an existing EMR system5% of award
About $10.5M
Provider payments and capital
Provider payments cover services insurance doesn't pay for, quality bonuses and outcome-based payments tied to Florida's plan. They can't raise rates for services providers already bill.
Capital funds go to existing facilities: renovations, accessibility upgrades, HVAC and like-for-like equipment replacement.
Off limits
- New construction, demolition and major expansions
- Cosmetic work such as painting, carpet or decor
- Clinician salaries at facilities that use non-compete clauses
- Home broadband installation and service
- Costs already covered by other federal or state funding
Policy commitments
Florida's program commitments
Florida made no state policy commitments in its application, according to CMS, so none of its funding depends on new laws or rules. Its plan does make four program commitments. One is done.
Regional funding split
Divide initiative funding among four regions in proportion to rural population
Year 1 awards made in all four regions August 11, 2026Performance-based contracts
Require standardized quarterly data and performance-based payments in every subaward contract
Rural service commitment
Require workforce training participants to serve five years in rural communities
Year 1 spending
Grant recipients use their Year 1 funds
Florida already belongs to the physician, nurse and psychology licensure compacts. It does not belong to the EMS or physician assistant compacts, and a 2026 bill to join both died in the Senate.
Years 2 to 5
$40B
Future awards depend on progress
Year 1 is not a guaranteed annual amount. CMS plans up to $40 billion more nationwide through 2030 and rescores every state each year on progress, data and policy actions.
Unobligated money leaves the state
Funds not obligated by the end of a budget period can't be obligated later and are redistributed to other states.
Funds can be clawed back
CMS can withhold, reduce or recover money for unallowable costs, unapproved plan changes or missed policy commitments. States get 90 days to fix a violation, and most decisions can't be appealed.
Oversight is growing
CMS's Office of Rural Health Transformation plans site visits in all 50 states in 2026. Audits start in 2027.
Method
Reading Florida's spending data
Use the numbers in Florida's section of the RHTP Year One Report to understand direction and pace, not as an audit.
Put to work is not paid out
Obligated money is signed to a contract or grant. Cash reaches recipients later.
Through July 31, 2026 only
The data covers December 29, 2025 to July 31, 2026, as Florida reported it to CMS. Commitments made after July 31, 2026 are not counted yet.
Recipients sit inside line items
The CMS report has no recipient column. Search Florida's line item descriptions by name.
Quarterly refresh
CMS updates the data after each quarterly state report, starting with the November 30, 2026 filing.
Announcements
Major Florida announcements
CMS announces $193.7 million in Florida awards to 45 organizations with more than 500 partners, for telemedicine, remote monitoring, pharmacy services, diagnostic kiosks and community paramedicine.
Governor DeSantis announces nearly $188 million in more than 80 grants serving 31 rural counties, completing Florida's Year 1 awards. The Northwest region receives $81 million.
AHCA opens six Requests for Applications worth more than $188 million, after the Legislative Budget Commission approves spending authority.
Florida's SNAP restriction on soda, energy drinks, candy and prepared desserts takes effect.
AHCA begins rural town halls in Hendry, DeSoto, Hardee and Polk counties.
CMS awards Florida $209.9 million for Year 1.
Awards announced after July 31, 2026 are not in the CMS spending data yet. They will appear after the next CMS refresh.
Timeline
Key dates
- Dec 29, 2025Year 1 award; Budget Period 1 begins
- Mar 9, 2026AHCA rural town halls begin
- Apr 20, 2026SNAP restriction takes effect
- Apr 22, 2026AHCA opens six Year 1 Requests for Applications
- Jul 31, 2026End of the first CMS reporting window; Year One Report spending data runs through this date
- Aug 11, 2026Year 1 awards announced
- Oct 30, 2026Budget Period 1 ends
- Nov 30, 2026Quarterly reports due; CMS refreshes funding data
- Sep 30, 2027Deadline to spend Year 1 funds
- 2030Final year of the five-year program
Implications
What this means
For rural hospitals
Rural hospitals including Calhoun-Liberty Hospital, Madison County Hospital Health System and Holmes County's Doctors Memorial Hospital won Year 1 awards, and the Northwest region drew the largest share at $81 million. Specialty and acute care, which covers telehealth for critical care, stroke and specialty visits, was one of six Year 1 opportunities. Watch for Year 2 RFAs on MyFloridaMarketPlace.
For partners and vendors
CommunityHealth IT, a remote care nonprofit, won the largest share of Year 1 awards, about $43.7 million, and universities, health centers and an ACO won others. Partnering with those awardees is one route in. AHCA buys its own program support, such as grant management and evaluation, through Requests for Quotes. Remote monitoring, telehealth, rural clinics and workforce training are the most active lanes.
For applicants and grantees
Build tracking for the measures Florida reports to CMS before an award lands. AHCA contracts require standardized quarterly data and performance-based payments, and results feed Florida's annual rescoring. Plan to spend Year 1 funds by Sep 30, 2027.
FAQ
Florida RHTP FAQs
Who runs Florida's Rural Health Transformation Program?
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) runs Florida's Rural Health Transformation Program, using federal funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). AHCA manages the state's plan, posts funding opportunities and answers questions at RHTP@ahca.myflorida.com. The program is Florida's share of the $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
How much RHTP funding did Florida receive?
Florida received $209,938,195 for Year 1 of the Rural Health Transformation Program, 14th of 50 states. Every state got $100 million in baseline funding, and the rest of Florida's award was based on its rural needs, its existing state policies and the strength of its plan. Later years depend on Florida's progress.
Can Florida RHTP funding pay for construction?
No. RHTP funds can't pay for new construction, demolition or major expansions. Up to 20% of Florida's award each year, about $42.0 million in Year 1, can go to work on existing facilities, such as renovations, accessibility upgrades, HVAC replacement and like-for-like equipment replacement.
Can Florida providers use RHTP funding to pay for patient care?
Only for care that insurance doesn't already pay for. Provider payments can cover nonreimbursed services, quality bonuses and outcome-based payments tied to Florida's plan, up to 15% of the award each year, about $31.5 million in Year 1. They can't raise rates for services providers already bill.
Where can I see how Florida is spending its RHTP funding?
The RHTP Year One Report tracks how much of Florida's award was put to work through July 31, 2026, by initiative and recipient, using state-reported data from CMS, and is updated after each CMS data release. Awards announced after July 31, including nearly $188 million in more than 80 grants in August 2026, will appear after the next CMS refresh.
The Alliance
RHT Alliance members serving Florida
These RHT Alliance members serve Florida providers, with support that spans virtual nursing, virtual care, remote monitoring, health data and records, diagnostics, patient education, legal counsel and grant writing.
Azalea HealthCloud EHR and billing with AI-assisted charting for rural hospitals and clinics.
Brennan Manna Diamond (BMD Law)Healthcare regulatory, compliance and transaction counsel.
CorstrataTelehealth access to board-certified wound, ostomy and continence nurses.
Equum MedicalTelehealth-enabled physician coverage across specialties.
Health Recovery SolutionsRemote patient monitoring and care management at home.
InterSystemsHealth data platforms and interoperability.
Medical Equipment SourceDigital pathology, mobile labs and lab equipment services.
Rural Health Transformation Funding NetworkGrant writing support for RHTP funding opportunities.
Self Care DecisionsEvidence-based triage that directs patients to the right level of care.
Solid StartsInfant feeding guidance and education for families, built by pediatric feeding specialists.
Teledentistry.com24/7 virtual dental evaluations and emergency triage.
VitalChatVirtual nursing and continuous audio and video care across hospitals.
ViTel NetWorkflow platform for hub-and-spoke telehealth programs.
WebMD IgniteMedically reviewed patient education and outreach, including its HEART rural program.Follow Florida's money as it moves
The RHTP Year One Report tracks obligations, initiatives and recipients for all 50 states after each CMS data release.