South Dakota’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic showed that a one-size-fits-all, top-down approach to health decisions is not the answer. Medicaid expansion, made possible by the Biden-Sanders spending spree, is now being proposed by some lawmakers in Pierre. What does this mean for South Dakota?
- In states that have expanded Medicaid, enrollment and cost overruns have shattered projections. This will force cuts to state services we rely on, like schools and law enforcement, or tax increases to pay for its hefty price tag.
- Expanding government health care to include able-bodied, childless, working-age adults takes resources away from truly needy South Dakotans who currently rely on Medicaid.
- Some South Dakota lawmakers think they can pass legislation to “control” expansion. However, this Washington takeover of health care has handcuffed South Dakota from implementing work requirements or removing anyone from the Medicaid rolls, even after they become ineligible.
If South Dakota lawmakers decide to expand Medicaid, hardworking taxpayers will be stuck paying the tab for a bloated, expensive program. Tell your lawmaker to vote No and that Medicaid Expansion has a price tag that South Dakota can’t afford!