# Pennsylvania RHTP Modernizing Healthcare Technology and Enabling Interoperability — EHR/HIO Program Payments The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) offers program payments, capped at no more than $25,000,000 total (with possible increase at DHS discretion), to qualified entities—including hospitals, long-term care nursing facilities, home health care agencies, behavioral health providers, ID/A adult homes, and ID/A intermediate care facilities—to implement Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) and/or onboard to one of Pennsylvania’s five certified Health Information Organizations (HIOs) within the P3N network. Payments are authorized in the order complete and eligible certifications are received; this is a non-competitive, initial round program payment request under the RHTP Technology and Infrastructure initiative. Per-entity payment caps are set by provider type, site, and activity: $20,000 (HIO onboarding only, most types), $70,000 (HIO onboarding only, hospitals), $100,000 (CEHRT update + HIO onboarding), and $150,000 (CEHRT implementation + HIO onboarding). All approved funds must be expended by June 30, 2027. Unused funds must be returned to DHS by July 31, 2027. This is the general opportunity for all qualified rural entities; a separate track covers FQHCs and FQHC Look-Alikes (up to $300,000 each, $1.8M pool). Additional requirements include specific licensure/certification, proof of rural Pennsylvania location, and, for EHR/HIO tiers, submission of vendor quotes and budget documentation. ## Key facts - Status: Closed - Type: GRANT - Issued by: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Pennsylvania) - Posted: 2026-07-27 - Questions due: 2026-07-17 - Application due: 2026-08-14 - Eligible applicants: Hospitals, Long-Term Care Nursing Facilities, Home Health Care Agencies, Behavioral Health Providers, ID/A Adult Homes, ID/A Intermediate Care Facilities - How to apply: Complete the EHR/HIO Program Payment Certification webform—receive a Submission Number and send all required attachments via email to RA-HHRRLHLTHTRNSPLAN@pa.gov (subject: Submission Number EHR/HIO Program Request Part X of Y); OR, if unable to use webform, email PDF form and all attachments direct… - Funding source: Rural Health Transformation Program (CMS) - Official source: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-10-ehr-hio-program-payment-certification-form.pdf ## Eligibility Eligible applicants are hospitals, long-term care nursing facilities, home health care agencies, behavioral health providers, ID/A adult homes, and ID/A intermediate care facilities that: (1) are currently operating and provide healthcare services in Pennsylvania, with at least one physical location and in operation since at least December 29, 2025; (2) are enrolled as a PA Medicaid provider and hold applicable DOH, OMHSAS, or ODP licensure/certificate of compliance; (3) are located in a qualifying rural county (class 2A–8), or in a HRSA-defined rural census tract in specified counties; (4) for HIO onboarding-only requests, are not already a full P3N HIO participant; (5) for CEHRT implementation/update, do not have an EHR that meets 45 CFR § 170.315 CEHRT standards. Only one program payment per entity (may cover multiple locations under same corporate structure) is allowed. ## Requirements Payments must be used for: (a) implementing or substantially updating to a CEHRT system (per 45 CFR § 170.315) and fully onboarding to one of Pennsylvania’s five certified HIOs, or (b) onboarding only. Entities must fully onboard to a P3N HIO within 90 days of CEHRT implementation or, for onboarding-only, by June 30, 2027. Funds must not be used for ongoing EHR maintenance, indirect/administrative costs, supplanting existing funding, or previously incurred costs. Budget narrative, itemized quotes, rural eligibility proof, and licensure/certification documentation are required. All expenditures must be incurred by June 30, 2027; unspent funds must be returned by July 31, 2027. ## Required attachments - Licensure or Certificate of Compliance (DOH, OMHSAS, ODP as applicable) - Attachment 1: Entity Location List - Proof of Pennsylvania registration/incorporation (Articles, Certificate, or Tax Doc) - Attachment 2: CEHRT Worksheet (for CEHRT update/implementation applicants only) - Quote/estimate from EHR system vendor (for CEHRT categories only) - Quote/estimate from HIO for onboarding (for onboarding-only category only) - Attachment 3: Budget Narrative - Attachment 4: Budget Worksheet - Attachment 5: Funding Disclosure Table (if applicable) ## Application package and source documents - [PA - 2026 - RHTP Modernizing Healthcare Technology and Enabling Interoperability Program Request and Eligibility Certification (Program Payment Certification Form)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/0f762bdc-018a-468d-808f-baca2b4a145b/file) (primary) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-10-ehr-hio-program-payment-certification-form.pdf - [PA - 2026 - EHR.HIO Entity Location List (Required Attachment: Entity Location List)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/3e20c899-b9f2-409b-a198-65f71e9771ab/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-10-ehr-hio-entity-location-list.xlsx - [PA - 2026 - CEHRT System to be Implemented (Required Attachment: CEHRT Worksheet)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/f395e98f-2eb3-49b8-a448-09222a1edacf/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-16-cehrt-worksheet.docx - [PA - 2026 - Funding Disclosure Table (Required Attachment 5: Public Funding Table)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/c53d6f92-caf8-43d7-b261-3b176d506f06/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-10-funding-disclosure-table.xlsx - [PA - 2027 - RHT Plan (RHTP) Project Budget Narrative (Required Attachment 3: Budget Narrative)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/336d81fa-fd6f-4abe-b2f6-f19cad0dca27/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/cehrt-implementation/2026-07-10-project-budget-narrative-template.docx - [PA - 2026 - RHTP Payment Budget Worksheet (Required Attachment 4: Budget Worksheet)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/3bbd8972-4071-426f-bb42-7f59caa975bb/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/rhtp-payment-budget-worksheet.xlsx - [PA - 2026 - Modernizing Healthcare Technology and Enabling Interoperability Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/api/documents/b6f9ae33-2ef5-4715-9970-35643dbba91a/file) — official: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/rural-health/rhtp-funding/hio-program-payment-certification/2026-07-23-faq-rhtp-payments-ehr-hio.pdf More Pennsylvania RHTP activity: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/pa (markdown: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/pa.md) --- Source: Rural Care Journey (RCJ), https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/pennsylvania-rhtp-modernizing-healthcare-technology-and-enabling-interoperabilit--677b4d038a — data as of 2026-10-28. Cite the RCJ page for the summary and the linked official source for authoritative terms, deadlines, and amounts.