Governor Ivey Prepares to Administer Rural Health Transformation Program –

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday introduced her subsequent steps in making ready to manage the Rural Health Transformation Program. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act – which President Trump supported and Congress handed in July – contains the Rural Health Transformation Program, which empowers states to strengthen rural communities throughout America by bettering healthcare entry, high quality, and outcomes by reworking the healthcare supply system.

“Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, Alabama and states across the country have an opportunity to make meaningful improvements in our rural healthcare systems. Alabama is a very rural state, and my goal is to ensure rural Alabamians have long-term and sustainable access to quality healthcare services,” mentioned Governor Ivey. “Thank you to President Trump and Congress for the vision to Make Rural America Healthy Again. I look forward to Alabama submitting a strong plan.”

After President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into legislation on Independence Day, the Governor’s Office started searching for and receiving from suppliers, stakeholders and curiosity teams on how Alabama may administer the Program to supply long-term enchancment of well being outcomes and healthcare supply methods in rural Alabama. The governor additionally developed a state workforce and tasked the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) with helping within the growth of the appliance for the Rural Health Transformation Program grant alternative.

The state workforce right here in Alabama consists of Governor Ivey, SHPDA, the Department of Finance and the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issuing official steerage Monday, Governor Ivey additionally appointed people to a working group to assist advise the state workforce.

The advisory group at the moment contains:

• Joseph Marchant, CEO, Bibb Medical Center
• Lother (Jim) Peace, President & CEO, Russell Medical Center
• Charles (Max) Rogers, IV, Obstetrics, North Baldwin Infirmary
• Susan Alverson, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Alabama Board of Pharmacy
• Scott Harris, State Health Officer
• Greg Nichols, Administrator, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital
• John Waits, CEO, Cahaba Medical Care
• Jeff Samz, CEO, Huntsville Hospital Health System
• Dawn Bulgarella, CEO, UAB Health System
• Natalie Fox, Interim CEO, USA Health
• Tuerk Schlesinger, CEO, AltaPointe Health
• Teresa Grimes, CEO, Washington County Hospital & Nursing Home
• Peggy Benson, Executive Officer, Alabama Board of Nursing Representative
• Clarence Ball, President and CEO, Ball Healthcare
• Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger
• State Senator Greg Albritton
• State Senator Bobby Singleton
• House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter
• State Representative Rex Reynolds
• State Representative Anthony Daniels

“We look forward to working with the Governor’s Office, state partners and the Advisory Workgroup to make some transformational changes in the provision of services and care for the citizens in rural areas of our state,” mentioned SHPDA Executive Director Emily Marsal. “Governor Ivey’s leadership in this process has already been vital and I appreciate her providing a way for our health care partners to come to the table with valuable knowledge and information to work on this CMS funding opportunity.”

The group will meet usually and supply enter for the state’s submission. The deadline for all states to submit functions is November 5, 2025.

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