NAPA Press Release: Rural Health Transformation Grant

Nevada Receives Rural Health Transformation Funding Following Workforce Development Commitments

Carson City, Nv. (December 31, 2025) – The Nevada Academy of Physician Associates (NAPA) welcomed the announcement that Nevada has been awarded funding through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a multi-year initiative directing up to $50 billion nationally to help states strengthen rural healthcare delivery. Nevada is expected to receive $179,931,608, supporting targeted reforms designed to expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen the healthcare workforce. 

In its application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the state expressed support for the physician associate (PA) compact, which will reduce time and cost burdens for PAs to engage in multistate practice, whether in person or by telemedicine.

“This award reflects the federal government’s clear encouragement for states to modernize how care teams operate, and we are encouraged that Nevada is stepping forward with specific actions to strengthen PA practice laws as part of this effort,” said NAPA President Alyssa Nishihira, PA-C.

CMS has emphasized that reforms enabling providers to practice at the top of their license and improving licensure portability are among the most effective tools states can use to expand rural access and strengthen workforce capacity. By naming these actions, Nevada positioned itself as a competitive applicant and demonstrated readiness to translate federal investment into meaningful change. 

“PAs are one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions in the country, with more than 1,350 PAs practicing in Nevada and thousands more serving rural and underserved communities nationwide,” Nishihira added. “Ensuring PAs can fully utilize their education and training is essential to meeting rising patient demand, especially as rural communities continue to face persistent workforce shortages.”

NAPA applauds state leaders for recognizing that modernizing PA practice laws is not only aligned with federal priorities, but also critical to ensuring patients can access timely, high-quality care close to home. 

“As a past president of the Nevada Academy of Physician Associates and an Associate Professor and Program Director of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine PA Studies Program, I see how policy decisions directly affect workforce capacity,” said Brian S. Lauf, DMSc, PA-C. “Federal investments paired with reforms like PA licensure portability are critical to training, retaining, and deploying PAs to meet the needs of Nevada’s rural and underserved communities.”

As the Rural Health Transformation Program moves into implementation, NAPA looks forward to working with policymakers, agencies, and health systems to support these commitments and ensure the full healthcare workforce is positioned to meet the needs of communities across Nevada.