CMS says $50B will be deployed through state competitions, new oversight office

Jan 16, 2026

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz described how the Rural Health Transformation Fund will be awarded, highlighted telemedicine, workforce pipelines and a new Office of Rural Health Transformation to oversee state projects.

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Mehmet Oz, identified in the transcript as the CMS administrator, said the agency created a dedicated implementation structure to move money "out of Washington" and into state projects quickly. He described competitive awards to states, a new Office of Rural Health Transformation to provide oversight, and state project officers who will coordinate federal‑state partnerships.

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