Eleven groups, including the state’s major health care systems, are forming a coalition to pursue a Medicaid expansion ballot question.
It’s the second proposed ballot question initiative announced that seeks to expand Medicaid on the 2022 mid-term election ballot.
Deb Peters is a former Republican State Senator and is with the South Dakota Association of Healthcare.
She was a member of the legislature when then-Governor Dennis Daugaard proposed expanding Medicaid, but didn’t have the support of the legislature.
“I’m not certain that that is or is not the case, per se, today,” Peters says. “But, we are seeing the general shift in the general population in the state of South Dakota has shifted to be more responsive to expanding Medicaid to those who need it the most.”
Peters says their ballot question would expand Medicaid out to those making about $35,000 for a family of four.
Former Democratic US Senate candidate Rick Weiland is also proposing a Medicaid expansion ballot question.
According to a document by the Legislative Research Council, Medicaid expansion would cover an additional 42,500 South Dakotans and cost the state $20.8 million annually.
