Cramer Discusses Rural Healthcare with North Dakota Hospital Association at Annual Convention

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FARGO, N.D. - The challenges and opportunities for North Dakota's providers were front and center today at the North Dakota Hospital Association's (NDHA) 92nd Annual Convention in Fargo, where U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) discussed the state's approach to strengthening rural hospitals and his work in Washington. Cramer highlighted the practical solutions North Dakota is implementing to enhance the workforce and rural access to care, while challenging the group to focus on transformative changes to worker development and healthcare delivery.

Cramer opened up the floor for discussion to hear directly from NDHA membership about their questions and concerns. Topics included a conversation around the Rural Health Transformation Program and the opportunities stemming from it, which will transform rural healthcare across the state. Members also raised questions about Medicaid and the 340b drug discount program.

"The benefit of being a Senator from North Dakota is I get to know all of the NDHA members and have an opportunity to meet with them and hear firsthand about their successes and challenges," said Cramer. "This makes me a stronger advocate for them and their colleagues in other states will benefit as a result."

Cramer has targeted the workforce challenges with legislation expanding employment-based visa opportunities for nurses and physicians and a modernization initiative for the Conrad 30 program to give states and employers more flexibility to recruit international physicians. He introduced legislation to expand veterans' access to care by authorizing expedited treatment at their local critical access hospital.

He has also cosponsored legislation to streamline prior authorization in Medicare Advantage and make pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities permanent. Those flexibilities, which help patients and providers access care remotely, are set to expire Dec. 31, 2027.