Despite being one of the final states to implement Medicaid expansion, South Dakota has already seen results since implementation July 1. However, many who are now eligible have still not signed up.
So far, data from the state Department of Social Services shows nearly 7,500 South Dakotans have signed up for the expanded benefits. These are all people who would have otherwise been left without coverage.
DSS Cabinet Secretary Matt Althoff called the rollout successful.
“We’re building up the human infrastructure to allow for this," Althoff said. "So, by in large I’m excited to see in that transition from the (COVID) public health emergency coming to an end transitioning immediately into Medicaid expansion. There have not been blips. There have not been any sort of quibbles.”
However there remains a significant gap in qualified people versus actual applicants. This data suggests just 14 percent of the 52,000 eligible South Dakotans have applied for benefits, and Althoff said they’re already battling with the infrastructure.
“Our budget called for 57,000 potential enrollees – it's an entitlement you have to budget if they’re potentially eligible – and I’m really really grateful they didn’t all show up July 1 because I wouldn’t be able to say these things about the smoothness – I’m convinced of that," Althoff said. "It’s been a stretch of our system.”
Looking toward the future, Althoff said the jury is still out on the next budget.
“It is way too early to say ‘do we abandon ship on the 57,000’ – that was a 2018 number, it was driven to update in the middle of a public health emergency, which is impossible to do," Althoff said. "It was always going to be the best number we had. Just this morning I had a meeting with our partners at the bureau of financial management, just constantly evaluating it. Right now, we are not in a position to adjust that budgeted amount.”
While you can apply for Medicaid benefits anytime, the upcoming enrollment period runs between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15. You can find a link to eligibility information here.