The Backstory: Impact of Medicaid Changes on North Dakota's Rural Hospitals
What began as a potentially dire outlook for rural hospitals turned into a more nuanced story. In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with reporter Michael Standaert about his latest article examining changes to Medicaid.
Listen here:
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Standaert breaks down the surprising exemptions, the real impact of new work requirements, and why fears about widespread fallout may be overstated—at least for now. Together, they unpack how journalism evolves when the facts don’t follow the expected narrative and why that shift matters for public understanding.
"You just have to shift gears and represent everything as accurately as you can, even if that means rewriting your story at the 11th hour." – Michael Standaert, NDNC Reporter
Episode highlights:
- Initial concerns: Sabrina and Michael anticipated major negative impacts from Medicaid changes, particularly for rural hospitals.
- Surprising findings: Michael discovered that exemptions—such as for tribal members, pregnant women, and foster youth—significantly limit the number of people affected by work requirements in North Dakota.
- Impact on rural hospitals: Despite fears, facilities in high-Medicaid areas like Sioux County may face minimal disruption due to those exemptions.
