South Dakota voters will weigh in on Medicaid expansion, again, this fall.
Republicans are asking voters if those who receive the benefit should be required to work.
In 2022, South Dakota voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to expand Medicaid coverage to those at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty line.
Republican Rep. Tony Venhuizen voted against the question. He’s pushing an amendment to the provision, asking voters if the state could impose a work requirement. That’s an idea he says would have made the 2022 question more palatable to vote for.
“You know, I certainly would have been more likely to," said Venhuizen, who sits on the committee that crafts the state budget.
“My biggest concern about the Medicaid expansion ballot amendment was that it put something on the ballot that had a huge, ongoing general fund cost with no plan to pay for it,” Venhuizen said. “I felt that that was pretty irresponsible. I think if you put something on the ballot that’s going to have a cost, you should also have a plan to cover the cost.”
State officials expect Medicaid expansion to cost the state about $67 million next year. The federal government will cover the other $337 million cost.
Medicaid expansion enrollment is lower that anticipated.
Democratic Rep. Linda Duba, who also sits on the budget committee, said the Department of Social Services has not been proactive in getting eligible people enrolled in Medicaid.
“This resolution, if accepted, would now impose more requirements, more paperwork to fill out,” Duba said. “I’d like to understand and know if the DSS is going to take on that task. Because they certainly didn’t take on this one.”
The Medicaid expansion work requirement question is the second to make this year’s election ballot. Last year, lawmakers approved a joint resolution to make references to the governor and other constitutional officers in the state constitution gender neutral.
There are eight proposed ballot questions approved for circulation.
