U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds provided information and accepted questions at an Aug. 28 roundtable in Brookings. As an invited member of the audience, I raised this question in regard to the future of Medicaid Help me understand the thinking behind the cuts of $1.2 trillion nationwide from Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and SNAP that provide access to health care for marginalized people?
Sen. Rounds replied that current recipients who are able to work at least part-time in South Dakota would be encouraged to find work. Otherwise, there would be very little difference in funding for current recipients of Medicaid. The rationale for the cuts to Medicaid was to the eight or so states that charge a 6.5% health care provider tax. This amount totaled $326 billion from federal money to their states in addition to the Medicaid funding. South Dakota and the other states charge only 3.5% provider tax. The outcome for ACA and SNAP is not entirely clear at this time. In an interview on Sept. 15 with SDPB, Sen. Rounds reiterated the same response to the question on Medicaid. In addition, he said that any individual receiving Medicaid who has dependent children or is taking care of a disabled person will not see a change in the Medicaid that they receive. Sen. Rounds also noted that rural clinics and hospitals would have access to additional federal monies to assist in payment gaps and should be able to stay open.
There were 26 citizens plus Sen. Rounds and four of his staff members present at the roundtable. Sen. Rounds also answered questions on the uncertainty of tariffs for small-business owners in Brookings, data centers in South Dakota, the decrease in tourism, and trade agreements for South Dakota farmers.
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