PIERRE, S.D.(Connoisseur Media)- The state legislature’s Emergency Medical Services Interim Committee held hearings Tuesday. One of the topics was the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.

Laura Ringling is senior policy adviser to the governor and testified before the committee about incoming federal money for rural healthcare.

CMS is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Ringling said these are one-time funds spread over a five-year period.

She said they’ve been taking testimony from across the state about South Dakota’s needs with regards to rural health care.

The Rural Health Transformation Program was the result of bipartisan concerns that recent Medicaid cuts could result in decreased services or even hospital closures in rural states.