North Dakota

North Dakota Legislature to Convene Special Session on Rural Health Funding

Published

1 month ago

December 5, 2025

North Dakota Legislature to Convene Special Session on Rural Health Funding

BISMARCK, N.D. (Valley News Live) – North Dakota lawmakers will return to the Capitol next month for a special legislative session focused on spending more than $500 million in federal funding aimed at transforming rural health care across the state.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced Friday, Dec. 5, he’s tentatively set Jan. 21 for the 69th Legislative Assembly to convene and appropriate the anticipated federal dollars.

The session is going to focus on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approving North Dakota’s funding application by the end of the year.

“We have an incredible opportunity to strengthen and reshape rural health care in North Dakota through the Rural Health Transformation Program,” Armstrong said in a statement. “I appreciate the collaboration with legislative leadership and look forward to a special session laser-focused on the task at hand.”

The state submitted its application to CMS on Nov. 3, outlining how it would invest the money over five years.

Officials are looking to improve access, quality, and outcomes for North Dakotans in rural communities.

Federal officials are expected to announce award decisions by Dec. 31.

Once the funding award is confirmed, Armstrong will issue an executive order officially convening the Legislature.

State law requires legislative appropriation before the federal dollars can be spent.

Four-Point Strategy

North Dakota’s application is focused on four strategic initiatives: strengthening and stabilizing the rural health workforce; expanding preventive care and healthy eating programs; bringing high-quality health care closer to home; and connecting technology, data and providers across the state.

The plan was developed with extensive public input. North Dakota Health and Human Services launched a 30-day survey that received more than 1,200 responses and hosted three listening sessions attended by over 300 participants.

The Rural Health Transformation Program was created as part of the federal Working Families Tax Cut Act. The law appropriates $50 billion over five years, with half split equally among all states. The remaining $25 billion will be distributed based on state applications and metrics showing where funding can make the biggest health impact in rural communities.

North Dakota’s rural communities have faced mounting health care challenges in recent years, including workforce shortages, hospital financial pressures, and limited access to specialized care. The federal funding represents one of the largest investments in the state’s rural health infrastructure in decades.

Armstrong worked with legislative leaders to identify the tentative date for the special session, which will focus exclusively on appropriating the federal funds.

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North Dakota

Bankruptcies for North Dakota and western Minnesota published Jan. 10, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court

North Dakota

Kaitlyn Grace Lucier, Fargo, Chapter 7

Samuel Todd Hicks, formerly known as Thomas Samuel Hicks, Fargo, Chapter 7

Teresa and Dominik Renwick, Fargo, Chapter 13

Susan Renee Fuller, formerly known as Susan R. Schaffer, doing business as Susie’s Sparkling Cleaning Service, Fargo, Chapter 7

Shannon Lynn Taylor, Fargo, Chapter 7

Jesse Patrick and Jaime Elizabeth Brown, Williston, Chapter 7

Kerri Lee Weishaar, Minot, Chapter 7

Terry Marie Moritz, Valley City, Chapter 7

Joshua Allen Sewill, Hatton, Chapter 7

Bryan Eugene Flecker, Minot, Chapter 7

Anna Marie Rahm, formerly known as Anna Marie Tanner, and Joshua Edward Rahm, Bismarck, Chapter 13

Sherri Rae Fisher, Baldwin, Chapter 13

Heather Lynn McElroy, formerly known as Heather Anderson, Grand Forks, Chapter 7

Kaitlyn Autrey, Grand Forks, Chapter 7

Michelle Lynn Miller, Fargo, Chapter 13

Kimberly Georgeann Callahan, Fargo, Chapter 13

Erin Elaine and Jose Luiz Murphy, Bismarck, Chapter 7

Shelly and Kieth Quimby, St. Thomas, Chapter 7

Minnesota

Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.

David Howard Gilpin, Osakis, Chapter 7

Timothy Virgil Hoag, Moorhead, Chapter 7

Jason Darryl Dykhoff, Ottertail, Chapter 7

Zachary Nicholas Hodgson and Jolynn Beth Warnes, formerly known as Jolynn Beth Hodgson, Kensington, Chapter 7

Riley Matthew Hinman, Alexandria, Chapter 7

Layne Christopher Condiff, Park Rapids, Chapter 13

Thomas Beecher Hoyer, Menahga, Chapter 13

Christine Karen Jakubek, also known as Cristine Anderson, Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.

Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.

Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.

Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.

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North Dakota

Hoeven, Armstrong, Traynor speak on OBBB Rural Health Transformation Fund updates in ND

Published

17 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Hoeven, Armstrong, Traynor speak on OBBB Rural Health Transformation Fund updates in ND

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – On Friday, North Dakota U.S. Senator John Hoeven, Governor Kelly Armstrong and Health and Human Services Commissioner Pat Traynor explained how the state plans to use millions of dollars from the Big Beautiful Bill’s Rural Health Transformation Fund to transform healthcare across the state.

They spoke extensively about the special session to allocate the funds, and confirmed that it is still tentatively set for Jan. 21.

The Big Beautiful Bill allocated $25 billion for rural healthcare nationwide. North Dakota received $500 million for five years and $200 million for the first year. There is still another $25 billion left to be spent, and North Dakota is hoping to receive an extra $500 million.

“I truly believe that with the plan we’re putting in place and the things we built that line up with that, we’ll get a billion dollars over five years,” said Hoeven.

Federal rules require the state to lock in contracts for the money by October first— a deadline officials say is driving the need for a special session.

In the first year, North Dakota will focus on retention grants to keep existing staff, technical assistance and consultants for rural hospitals, as well as telehealth equipment and home patient monitoring.

A KFYR+ exclusive

Governor Armstrong says the special session will include policy bills tied to how much federal rural health funding the state can earn.

“We’re going to have a physical fitness test for physical education courses, nutrition education, continuing education requirement for physicians, physician assistant licensure compact—which North Dakota has been doing, dealing with that since the heart of the oil boom and moving forward—and then an expanded scope of practice for pharmacists,” said Armstrong.

Hundreds of millions of dollars could reshape healthcare in rural North Dakota, and state leaders say the next few weeks are key to receiving and spending that money wisely.

The governor says he only wants to focus on bills related to the Rural Health Transformation Program during the special session and doesn’t intend to deal with other state issues during that time.

Politicians outline plans for ND Rural Health Transformation Program

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North Dakota

North Dakota officials celebrate being among big winners in federal rural health funding

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

North Dakota officials celebrate being among big winners in federal rural health funding

North Dakota U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and Gov. Kelly Armstrong on Friday touted the success of the state’s application for federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding, which landed one of the largest per-capita awards in the nation.

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