Iowa Combat Cancer Health Hub Program

Stacey Hewitt
515.214.3565
Stacey.Hewitt@hhs.iowa.gov

This program will provide funding to develop hub and spoke sites to increase access to and availability of cancer treatment in rural areas of Iowa. Applicants serving as a hub must establish 3 spoke sites to implement the following activities:

• Adding new chemotherapy lines of service at spoke sites or the creation of additional capacity at existing rural chemotherapy sites via additional infusion chairs, increased hours of operation, or other solutions that increase the number of patients receiving chemotherapy
• Coordinating care for patients between hub and spoke sites, resulting in treatment provided locally at the spoke site whenever possible and appropriate visits to the hub site coordinated to maximize appointment time and reduce the amount of travel needed
• Conducting remote consultation with medical personnel located at hub sites, including teleoncology services
• Developing virtual tumor boards that allow medical professionals at spoke sites to work collaboratively with medical professionals at the hub site to diagnose patients and develop treatment plans
• Developing solutions for virtual visits and exchanging records and data between hubs and spokes
• Developing and executing referral agreements, telehealth agreements, and innovative payment models to support the long-term success of the hub and spoke network
• Expanding access to specialty services in a financially sustainable manner
• Streamlining or centralizing functions to create cost savings
• Improving the financial viability of rural providers
• Preserving independence of rural providers
• Keeping care local in rural communities when possible and appropriate
• Developing models of sustainability for rural cancer providers
• Supporting long-term sustainability planning, including workforce development, teleoncology integration, and alignment with Commission on Cancer (CoC) standards
• Implementing transformational models of care that makes Iowa a nationwide leader for positive rural health outcomes

Eligible applicants are Iowa public, private, nonprofit, for-profit, academic institutions or governmental entities that provide advanced cancer care. Additional requirements can be found in the funding announcement.

Eligible spoke sites must be located in a rural area of Iowa and may include but are not limited to:

• Community hospitals
• Critical Access Hospitals
• Rural Health Clinics
• Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Independent oncology practices

Applicants may apply for an approximate total five-year award of either $31,932,976 or $45,252,416. A total of up to $17,043,461 will be awarded in the first year.

Links to application instructions and the online application system are available on the program website.

Applicants must email a letter of intent (LOI) to Stacey.Hewitt@hhs.iowa.gov by March 13, 2026. Full applications are due by April 9, 2026.

Applicant webinar
March 10, 2026
10:00 a.m. Central
Call-in number: 669.254.5252
Passcode: 969876
Meeting ID: 160 166 1457