The State of Georgia has been awarded $218.8 million for the first year of the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health (GREAT Health) Program, a new initiative aimed at strengthening rural healthcare systems and improving health outcomes statewide.
Governor Brian Kemp, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), announced the funding this week following approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The award represents the first year of a five-year funding period under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
State officials said Georgia’s initial allotment is among the largest awarded nationwide. The GREAT Health Initiative was made possible after the passage of the H.R. 1 budget legislation earlier this year and is designed to introduce innovation, flexibility, and value-based care models tailored to rural communities.
“This funding will help move us forward in strengthening our rural providers while bringing cost-saving innovations to the state’s health system,” Kemp said in a statement. He also credited the Department of Community Health for developing a successful proposal that secured one of the largest first-year awards in the country.
The Rural Health Transformation Program allows states to invest in modernizing healthcare delivery in rural areas, focusing on infrastructure, workforce development, and improved access to care. Georgia’s application emphasized the need for community-driven solutions to address varying healthcare challenges across rural regions.
Dr. Dean Burke, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health, said public input played a key role in shaping the state’s proposal. “Different rural communities have different needs,” Burke said. “This funding will allow us to advance transformation by supporting rural residents to live longer, healthier lives with access to more effective and higher-quality healthcare.”
State officials said additional details regarding implementation timelines and next steps for the GREAT Health initiative will be released in the coming weeks.
