I have a Call to Action for anyone who may stumble on this post. Now is the time to contact your state senators. I will be speaking directly to my neighbors in South Dakota, specifically.

Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” passed the House by one vote. 215-214. One single Representative stood between us and this hideous affront to healthcare for the American people.

Talk to your senators. You can click the blocks above to send a message by email to Thune and Rounds, or you can call them:

• Senator Thune: (202) 224-2321
• Senator Rounds: (202) 224-5842

According to the 2023 South Dakota Medicaid Report, 163,238 people relied on Medicaid for health coverage. The majority of these individuals are CHILDREN. SIXTY-THREE PERCENT of those individual’s in our home state having their healthcare coverage threatened are CHILDREN. FOURTY PERCENT of South Dakota newborns are covered by Medicaid. An additional nineteen percent of those on Medicaid are elderly or disabled. Medicaid also covers over half of all nursing home residents in the state.

In our state, federal spending accounted for just under half of Medicaid funding.

How many of our family members, our neighbors, and our friends have to decline medical care before we see there is an affordability crisis that hurts ALL OF US? You should not have to choose between the cost of medical care, and your life.

Talk to your senators. Please.

Sources Cited:

South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS). (2023). South Dakota Medicaid report. https://dss.sd.gov/docs/medicaid/reports/2023_Medicaid_Report.pdf