South Dakota's two U.S. senators both say they support the latest GOP effort to replace former President Barack Obama's health care law.
The new bill by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana uses a block grant system that they say gives states flexibility to design their own programs.
U.S. Senator Mike Rounds says this proposal gives South Dakota more healthcare money going forward.
"South Dakota will receive about $2.2 Billion between 20-20 and 20-26. Governor Daugaard has joined a coalition of Republican governors in sending support of this plan. But, it's about compared to where we're sitting right now...which is slightly under $800 million under that same time period. It could be as much as 1.3 to 1.4 billion in additional revenues available to the State," Rounds says.
Rounds says a large chunk of the funds would cover 100 percent of the healthcare costs for Native Americans who receive Medicaid. Right now, the Affordable Care Act requires a state match. Rounds also says the legislation protects people with pre-existing conditions and repeals the individual mandate.
He says the medical device tax also goes away under the proposal. Governor Dennis Daugaard is one of 15 governors backing the legislation.
Daugaard is joined by Governors Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Kim Reynolds of Iowa. Several Republican governors are against the bill. Notable opponents include Ohio Governor John Kasich and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. ?