• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Republican leaders in the South Dakota Legislature say they hope federal officials will grant the state a waiver allowing expansion of the Medicaid program to provide medical services only to those people most in need.
• Senate Republican Leader Tim Rave of Baltic said he doubts the Legislature would expand Medicaid to the full extent envisioned in the federal health care overhaul, but that lawmakers will likely talk about seeking federal approval to extend coverage to a smaller group of low-income people.
• The federal government has so far refused to give South Dakota that flexibility, but House Republican Leader David Lust of Rapid City said he hopes federal officials will change their minds.
• "I do think we could craft a resolution that is appropriate and effective for our situation in South Dakota," Lust said.
• Leader of the Democratic minority have said they will continue to push for a Medicaid expansion, despite resistance from Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
• Senate Democratic Leader Jason Frerichs of Wilmot said he's pleased that Republicans haven't completely rejected a Medicaid expansion.
• Daugaard says he's not recommending the Medicaid expansion -- available to states as an option under the federal health care overhaul -- in next year's state budget, but that he's not ruling it out altogether. He said the federal government is having trouble putting the overhaul into effect and wonders whether it can meet its promise to pay most of the cost of the Medicaid expansion.
• South Dakota's Medicaid program now covers about 116,000 children, adults and disabled people. The expanded eligibility would add an estimated 48,000 people, mostly adults without children.

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