Bill Proposes Medicaid For Pregnant Illegal Immigrants

Pregnant illegal immigrants can get prenatal care under Medicaid if House Bill 1214 continues to successfully move through the South Dakota legislature. Opponents say the proposal is going to cost taxpayers more than the bill reveals, and the state shouldn’t support anyone with an illegal status. But proponents say the unborn children should have equal treatment under the law.
House Bill 1214 was delayed by a request for a fiscal note, which is an analysis of the costs associated with a bill. As a result, it was debated in the House after crossover day.
At that time, Representative Brock Greenfield tried to have the bill tagged for appropriations, a move that would have required a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority to pass the bill out of the House.
Greenfield says the sponsors’ intentions are good: “I don’t question the passion of those who want to protect the unborn. It’s laudable to be sure.”
But he says the cost is understated. “And we will see a growth and expansion of this program. We will see more people swept into it over time.”
Bill sponsor Bernie Hunhoff says the fiscal analysis showed that new applicants are covered by the Medicaid program already included in the state’s budget. “All this bill does is simply seek to treat everybody alike and fix a loophole—fill a gap.”
Hunhoff says the unborn children of illegal immigrants in the state are South Dakotans, deserving an equal opportunity for prenatal care. “There’s no reason to attach an appropriation, any more than there would be to attach an appropriation for all the other infants that are receiving prenatal care already,” he says.
Greenfield’s attempt failed, and Representative Jon Hanson supported approval of the bill without delay. “There’s no question as to the immense value of these unborn children, and there’s no question as to the human cost of inaction,” Hanson says.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 39 to 28. It now goes to the Senate side for further consideration.