So many front-line workers sought help paying COVID-19 costs, North Dakota stopped taking applications As of noon on Wednesday, the department had received 2,916 applications, of which 1,564 were awarded funds. The department said the remaining 1,352 applications "will go through the review process," and that all funds will need to be distributed by Dec. 30. 8:19 pm, Dec. 16, 2020 × Unsplash BISMARCK — After almost 3,000 of North Dakota's first responders and health care workers applied for funds to help cover their COVID-19-related medical expenses, the state stopped accepting applications Wednesday, Dec. 16, due to the "overwhelming response." Earlier this month, the North Dakota Legislature approved allocating $2.5 million of the state's federal pandemic stimulus funds to create the Medical Expense Assistance Program to help first responders and front-line health care workers pay for COVID-19 expenses. Applicants could only qualify for the funds if they tested positive for COVID-19, and had not applied or were rejected for worker's compensation.