photo by: Steven Allen Adams

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, flanked by Department of Health Secretary Dr. Arvin Singh, left, and Department of Human Services Secretary Alex Mayer, right, urged the public to provide input on West Virginia’s application for the federal Rural Health Transformation program.

CHARLESTON — Earlier this week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that West Virginia was working on its application for the new federal Rural Health Transformation program. Now, Morrisey wants to hear from the public on how to improve rural health care.

Morrisey, joined by Department of Health Secretary Dr. Arvin Singh and Department of Human Services Secretary Alex Mayer, held a press conference announcing ways for the public to provide comments that will inform the state’s application for the Rural Health Transformation program.

“We have a potential to help West Virginians out in a way that we haven’t been given an opportunity before,” Morrisey said. “That (program) provides an unbelievable opportunity for West Virginia to, as I’m fond of saying, move the needle on things that really matter to help our state.”

“This rural health transformation project, it’s more than a federal program. It’s a lifeline for West Virginia and our West Virginia residents,” Singh said. “This initiative gives us those resources, those needed resources, that flexibility, and the opportunity to chart our own future.”

“This is a truly historic day, the opportunity for the state to leverage this type of funding, to really move the needle, and make West Virginia a leader in the state or in the country around these health outcomes,” Mayer said. “With this infusion of funding from the (Trump) administration and Gov. Morrisey’s leadership, we’re really going to turn the tide there.”

The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation program is made possible by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, now called the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announced Monday morning that the application process for states to apply for the Rural Health Transformation program was open. In a press conference in Beckley Monday, Morrisey said the state was reviewing the application process.

The Rural Health Transformation program will provide $10 billion a year to states each federal fiscal year from 2026, which begins Oct. 1, through 2030. Half of the available funding would be distributed evenly to all 50 states, if they apply for it. The other half would be distributed based on health care metrics. Morrisey said the state could receive at least $100 million per year if West Virginia’s application is accepted.

“There’s $25 billion that will be evenly divided among the 50 states,” Morrisey said. “And then there’s discretionary dollars as well that will be allocated to the states based upon the application that they submit, based upon the rural nature of the state and also various policies that the state elect to pursue.”

The program is structured around several goals: funding for innovations in rural areas that focus on preventative care and reduce disease, helping rural providers improve their efficiency and long-term sustainability, retaining and attracting doctors and nurses to rural areas, creating innovative care models and using technology to improve rural health care outcomes.

The deadline for states to apply for the Rural Health Transformation Program is less than two months away, with applications due by Wednesday, Nov. 5. With that short timeline in mind, Morrisey has set a deadline of Monday, Sept. 29, for the public to provide input on what should be in the state’s application.

Those wishing to provide input can go to governor.wv.gov and click on Rural Health Transformation Program to be taken to a page explaining the program and how to provide input. The public can also email RHTP@wv.gov to comment. Morrisey said all input is welcome.

“If you’re a legislator, if you’re a health care provider, a pharmacy, a doctor, trade group, an employer, a nurse, a technician, or anyone in our state that could benefit from this program or have ideas about this program, please let us know,” Morrisey said. “We need to have the statewide public comment period as a strategic priority. That’s critical. Your input’s going to be essential in developing the best possible application.”

Morrisey also said the state has contracted with McKinsey and Company in developing its application for the Rural Health Transformation, though he was unable to provide how much the state was paying McKinsey.

According to the State Purchasing Division, the Governor’s Office submitted an emergency purchasing request on Sept. 9 for a consulting firm, citing the short deadline for the need to avoid the bidding process. The Governor’s Office estimated a $2 million cost for using an independent consulting firm. The award document was still in progress.