Rural Health Transformation Program-Health Home Coalitions Comments to NYS Department of Health

We are pleased to share that the Coalition of New York State Health Homes has formally submitted comments to the New York State Department of Health regarding the federal CMS Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. This is a critical opportunity to ensure that rural communities across New York benefit from sustainable, high-quality, and coordinated healthcare delivery.

For more than a decade, Health Homes have been at the center of Complex Care Management for New York’s highest-need Medicaid members. With over 175,000 adults, children, and youth enrolled statewide, including in all 44 rural counties, Health Homes have consistently delivered measurable results:

• Improved follow-up care after emergency and hospital visits.

• Increased access to preventive screenings like breast and colorectal cancer.

• Reduced inpatient admissions and emergency department utilization.

• Stronger connections to community supports addressing housing, food security, transportation, and behavioral health.

  
  

Our submission underscores how Health Homes can serve as a vital foundation for rural health transformation, advancing the goals of the RHT program by:

• Expanding access to care in underserved communities.

• Supporting workforce development through 4,500 trained care managers across 500+ agencies.

• Driving value-based care models with proven Medicaid cost savings.

• Ensuring sustainability by embedding HRSNs into care delivery.

By fully incorporating Health Homes into the RHT framework, New York State can build on more than a decade of investment and innovation, strengthening rural healthcare, supporting providers, and improving outcomes for patients and families.

We invite you to review our full submission and join us in advocating for the inclusion of Health Homes as a cornerstone of rural health transformation