Since the Legislature set aside money last year to pay for medical examinations of sexual assault victims, North Dakota hospitals and clinics have billed for more than 50 exams, statistics show.

Until July 1, a woman who had been assaulted was responsible for paying for a forensic exam to collect evidence against her attacker. Many declined to do so because they did not want to pass the required information to their insurers, victim advocates say.

North Dakota lawmakers approved spending up to $500,000 over two years to cover exam costs and made it illegal for victims to be billed directly or through their health insurance coverage.

The attorney general's office, which handles reimbursements, reported paying $25,800 over seven months to 13 medical providers for performing 57 exams. The law took effect July 1, and the tabulation includes reimbursements paid from July 1, 2007, through Jan. 31.

Jessica McSparron-Bien, the sexual assault program and policy coordinator of the North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services and the Coalition Against Sexual Assault in North Dakota, said the number was in line with estimates presented during the 2007 Legislature, when officials were calculating the amount of money needed for reimbursement.

"There don't seem to be any issues," McSparron-Bien said. "The process does seem to be working well."

Arnold "Chip" Thomas, president of the North Dakota Healthcare Association, which represents hospitals, said he was unaware of any problems with the administration of the repayment program.

"It's not for any medical services. It's just for the cost of the kit and its use," Thomas said. "The fund is really set up to support the criminal justice system."

Sen. Stan Lyson, R-Williston, who sponsored the legislation to provide money for the reimbursements, said it was wrong to require sexual assault victims to pay for collecting the evidence needed to prosecute their attackers.

Local law enforcement agencies received 184 rape reports in 2006, according to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's most recent report on North Dakota's crime statistics.

McSparron-Bien said the estimate of the number of needed exams used reports from hospitals and rape crisis centers.

"The number that we see is certainly reflective of reality … and the program seems to be working," she said. "People are coming in, and those exams are being paid for and taken care of."