June 26, 2026

The President’s Message is published in the MHA Weekly News Report, a member-only publication of the Montana Hospital Association. To subscribe, click here.

I’ll be candid with you: I know our members have felt the weight of frequent data requests lately, and I hear that. No one wants to add to an already full plate. But I want to speak directly to why this particular request is one we simply cannot afford to overlook.

The Montana Hospital Association is supporting the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) in collecting average daily census data from all Critical Access Hospitals and PPS hospitals — and I am asking every eligible facility to participate.

This is not just another survey. This single data point will establish the baseline for five full years of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) reporting from DPHHS to CMS. Montana’s ability to maximize RHTP funding over the next five years depends on our collective participation right now. If facilities do not self-report, Montana stands to see its RHTP funding reduced — and that affects all of us.

Next week, MHA staff members Heather O’Hara and Lindsay Konen will be reaching out directly to hospital leaders with full details, submission instructions, and deadlines. Please watch for that communication and make responding a priority for your team.

In the meantime, here is what to expect:

• Data for all of Calendar Year 2025 (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4) will be due by August 1, 2026
• Data for Q1, Q2, and Q3 of CY 2026 will be due by November 1, 2026
• Going forward, data will be submitted quarterly – one month following the end of the prior quarter (e.g., Q4 2026 data will be due February 1, 2027)
• A facility’s potential RHTP funding may be individually affected by choosing not to participate

One clarification worth noting: this request is entirely separate from any data sharing associated with the Center of Excellence work under RHTP. More on that will be available later this year.

Questions in the meantime? Reach out to Casey Driscoll at casey.driscoll@mtha.org or 406-457-8000.

Thank you for your partnership — and for making this one count.