Rounds seeks imput from health care providers on new proposal

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HURON – As details of the Senate GOP draft proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act began to emerge, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said he shared some of the highlights with South Dakota providers, hospitals, tribal officials, insurance carriers and others Wednesday to ask for their input in the coming days.
In a conference call with reporters on Thursday, he said he couldn’t provide a lot of information to providers, but wants them to review the 142-page plan and offer their feedback.
Technically speaking, he asked them to point out any errors in the plan, but more importantly he wants to know what the impact of the legislation would have on South Dakotans they serve, he said.
GOP leaders want to try to bring the bill to the Senate floor next week – in advance of the July 4 recess – although at least four conservative senators have already said they will vote no, potentially killing it.
Rounds said the draft plan would offer health care coverage to 13,000 South Dakotans who make less than $12,000 a year. Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, they receive no help buying insurance.
Also, he said the GOP Senate plan would mean that more than 77,000 South Dakotans who buy their insurance in the individual market – who don’t get their insurance on the job or from the government – are more likely to be able to buy insurance next year instead of being in the collapsing Obamacare exchanges where there may be only one option, or even zero options, to buy insurance, Rounds said.
If nothing is done, premiums are going to go up by 40 percent in the individual market in South Dakota next year. He said they have gone up 124 percent since 2013.

As the country learned more about the GOP Senate draft plan, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said in a statement that it would help stabilize markets, improve the affordability of health care, preserve access to care for those with pre-existing conditions and sustain Medicaid “while also ensuring that those who rely on the program don’t have the rug pulled out from under them.”
He said the GOP plan also includes a more generous tax credit that is targeted toward those who need it most, especially low-income seniors.
Rounds emphasized that the plan released Thursday is a working draft, and that once specific implications of it are known there will be modifications.
He said once he hears back from South Dakota Medicaid providers he will share that information with GOP leaders.
“That is still an item that is being addressed in our caucus as of an hour ago,” he said of the Medicaid impact.
Rounds said he likes the Senate version in part because it allows for a transition period. He has said over the past several months that implementation of a new health care plan can’t be done before 2020 or 2021 because it takes time to move from one product to another.
“We are having an Obamacare hangover right now,” he said. “It’s getting there, it won’t happen overnight, but you’ve got to start it in the right direction.”
It will take 51 votes to pass the bill. Rounds said if supporters can reach that threshold he thinks Democrats will be willing to work with Republicans in achieving a much better product and get to 60 votes.
Rounds said the Senate bill is more moderate than the House bill and, of course, that’s likely the reason four GOP senators have already come out and said they will oppose it.
Is it too moderate? Rounds asks people to compare it to Obamacare, where there is no end in sight for deficits and rising premiums.
“The Obamacare market is eroding rapidly, and sinking under its own weight,” he said.
A reporter asked Rounds if Republican voters will accept the plan.
“We’re going to find out,” he said. “We’re going to do the best we can.”