Members of the South Dakota House Health & Human Services committee debated a bill (HB1060) that would use eight million dollars in state funds, matched with about ten million dollars in federal funds to help struggling nursing homes.
Bill sponsor Representative Steven McCleerey of Sisseton says fifty five percent of nursing home residents statewide are paid through Medicaid, which doesn’t meet costs….
McCleerey says without additional funding this year, more nursing homes will close….
Laura Williams from the Bureau of Finance and Management opposed the bill, saying Governor Kristi Noem’s budget proposal would provide more stable ongoing funding….
The committee voted thirteen to zero to send the bill to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
