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North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Receives $4.6 Million

Aug 12, 2024

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer's office announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has renewed the North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program for five years, for a total of $4,695,905. The North Dakota Flex Program is housed at the Center for Rural Health within the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. The award is for years 2024-2029.

About the Flex Program

Flex is a state-based partnership that works with and assists all rural hospitals to stabilize and sustain their local healthcare infrastructure. Flex is a companion to the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation process. Hospitals receive CAH designation from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Flex provides support to the CAH-owned and operated North Dakota Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). There are currently 37 CAHs and 59 RHCs in North Dakota.

Jody Ward

"The Flex Program works closely with all of the CAHs and CAH-owned and operated RHCs in the state," said Jody Ward, grant program director for Flex, "providing guidance, training, funding, and leadership for ever-changing regulations and policies. We are delighted we are able to continue to provide these services to rural hospitals and clinics."

Four Core Areas

Flex helps to sustain the rural healthcare infrastructure by strengthening CAHs thereby maintaining access to care for rural residents. The Flex Program includes focus on the following four core objective areas:

  • Quality improvement
  • Financial and operational improvement
  • Population health management and emergency medical services (EMS) integration
  • Designation of CAHs (required if requested)

By applying these components of Flex, the program fosters the growth and sustainment of rural collaborative healthcare systems across the continuum of care.

Questions?

Jody Ward, grant program director
(701) 858-6729
jody.ward@UND.edu