Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune addressed the Senate floor, countering claims made by Democrats regarding Medicaid provisions in the Republicans' proposed legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Thune criticized Democrats for focusing on Medicaid provisions to attack Republicans and refuted claims that these provisions would lead to rural hospital closures. He stated, "The provisions of our bill that Democrats would like you to believe threaten rural hospitals – those provisions don’t even go into effect until 2028."

Thune highlighted ongoing challenges faced by rural hospitals, stating that closures are not a new issue and noted that Medicaid spending had increased under President Biden without preventing these closures. He emphasized the $50 billion fund included in the bill aimed at supporting vulnerable providers like rural hospitals.

Discussing the broader scope of Medicaid changes in the bill, Thune said, "We are restoring Medicaid to what it was originally intended to be – a federal-state partnership to support the most vulnerable Americans." He pointed out that recent expansions have shifted focus away from this original intent.

He further explained measures taken in the bill to control Medicaid growth, including removing noncitizens from rolls and implementing mild work requirements for certain adults. Additionally, Thune addressed efforts to curb abuse of provider tax loopholes exploited by states.

Thune concluded by emphasizing that these measures aim to ensure Medicaid's sustainability and better serve vulnerable populations while making significant investments in home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities.