Graciano Sarinana: Focus on Medicaid's expansion, not adding barriers
In the six months since the implementation of voter-approved Medicaid expansion, thousands of South Dakotans have experienced the peace of mind that comes with knowing they can see a doctor as needed.Those residents have gained regular access to preventative care, check-ups and screenings, resulting in earlier diagnoses and better treatment options for cancer and other life-threatening diseases and chronic conditions. Many now live healthier, happier lives without having to make choices nobody should face, such as between food and shelter over needed medicine. Even those who do not need Medicaid expansion at this time can be assured that they, along with their hard-working family, friends and neighbors, have this option.
The wisdom of South Dakota voters’ November 2022 expansion approval is already paying off for many on a personal level, and the investment will continue to be felt for years to come in the form of a healthier workforce and reduced health disparities.
South Dakota Medicaid expansion is a clear success, its biggest challenge being that not everybody who qualifies is aware they have the option. Far too many folks find out they need coverage only when they are in immediate need of medical care, so they are still skipping key preventative care. Too many people are unaware of their eligibility until they find themselves faced with a costly trip to the hospital. This is a problem state legislators could correct by allocating additional resources into outreach and marketing expansion, especially in communities not easily reached through typical methods.
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Senate Joint Resolution 501 instead attempts to add work reporting requirements to Medicaid, meaning more barriers to the care South Dakotans need. We should be focused on how to improve expansion’s reach, but this misguided legislation will only create more government mandated paperwork by focusing on a problem that simply doesn’t exist.
The evidence is undeniable. South Dakota has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. South Dakotans work hard, but with only 51% of state employers offering health benefits to their employees, a work reporting requirement would mean another government mandate on people who are already working hard to succeed. For those who are sick, it means time spent reporting to the government as opposed to getting better and getting back to living the healthy lives we all hope to enjoy.
What the bill sponsors haven't said is that work reporting requirements were specifically excluded in Amendment D, with good reason. They have not worked in states where they have been introduced and will not work here. In Arkansas, work reporting requirements introduced needless bureaucracy and succeeded in stripping healthcare from eligible families. There is simply no reason to bring a policy to South Dakota that has failed elsewhere.
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South Dakotans simply do not need to be told to go to work, nor do they need politicians to push them into the workforce. They are already there. Work reporting requirements aren’t good policy and won’t fix anything.
Carla Graciano Sarinana is the South Dakota Grassroots Manager for American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. This opinion piece is co-signed by: AARP South Dakota, Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, South Dakota Farmers Union, American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Graciano Sarinana: Focus on Medicaid's expansion, not adding barriers
