North Dakota Legislative Leaders Expect Special Session for Federal Rural Health Care Dollars

Sarah Aker. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) -The North Dakota Legislature will form a new interim committee and is anticipating a special session to handle $500million expected from the federal government for rural health care over the next five years.

The Rural Health Transformation Program, created by the 10-year budget reconciliation law, makes $50 billion available to states to improve health care in rural communities between 2026 and 2030.

It was held out by members of Congress as a means to offset losses rural states will suffer from federal cuts to Medicaid approved elsewhere in the bill.

North Dakota will receive at least $100 million each year from the program, said Sarah Aker, executive director of medical services for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.