A bill that seeks to provide prenatal care for all babies born in South Dakota is on its way to the full House of Representatives. House Bill 1158 extends prenatal services to pregnant women, regardless of their immigration status. Supporters say the move saves American lives.
Representative Scott Ecklund says House Bill 1158 makes no statement on immigration, but it does say that South Dakota wants healthy US citizens - and that starts with babies. Ecklund says 195 American children were born to non-qualified aliens in South Dakota in 2013, and Medicaid picks up the tab in the emergency room.
"Last year, our cost for all of these deliveries was $118,000 and we already paid that. So we are already paying for these children to be born in our hospitals," Ecklund says.
Medical experts say a lack of prenatal care affects newborn death rates and the mortality rate later in life due to complications. Representative Melissa Magstadt says the state saves thousands supporting health from the beginning instead of treating the consequences of lack of care.
"I mean, if you’re a fiscal conservative, you have to vote yes on this. If you’re pro-life, you need to vote yes on this," Magstadt says. "If the immigration part is the big piece, that’s where it starts getting muddy but, you know what? I’m going to sleep well every night knowing that I protected an unborn life. Period."
No one spoke against the bill, but Representative Jenna Haggar says she sees the move as an expansion of Medicaid.
"And because every life is as valuable as another, I feel like the real question to me is, should we just start providing health care to all illegal immigrants that meet the income guidelines?" Haggar says.
Haggar is the only committee member who votes against the bill. HB 1158 which expands prenatal care to babies who will be US citizens when they’re born now moves to the full House of Representatives.