The State of South Dakota is missing out on about seven hundred forty five thousand dollars in federal funding each week by not expanding those covered under Medicaid. That figure was talked about at a health care conference in Sioux Falls last week. Governor Dennis Daugaard and the Legislature have been cautious about extending coverage to about forty eight thousand eligible people.

Senator Jean Hunhoff of Yankton, Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, says the state should continue to hold out for their own version of expansion…

 

Hunhoff says under the current law, those who need the coverage the most, can’t afford it…

 

Hunhoff says health care coverage is still changing for all of us…

 

The Governor has said he would not consider Medicaid expansion without the Legislature’s approval.