Saturday,  Feb. 01, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 200 • 24 of 37

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ance, so those earning above 100 percent of the poverty level should buy subsidized insurance through the federally operated online exchange.
• "We want to help those who can't help themselves. Those who can help themselves should," he said.
• South Dakota's Medicaid program now covers about 116,000 children, adults and disabled people. The full expanded eligibility would add an estimated 48,000 people, mostly adults without children.
• People earning up to 138 percent of the poverty level -- about $16,000 for a single person or $33,000 for a family of four -- would be covered by a full expansion. The federal government would fully cover those added to Medicaid rolls through 2016, and the state's contribution would rise in stages to 10 percent of the costs by 2020.
• An expansion to 100 percent of the poverty level would cover a single person earning up to about $11,700 and a family of four earning $23,850.
• Senate Majority Leader Tim Rave, R-Baltic, said he wants to provide Medicaid coverage to people most in need. One example would be a single parent with kids who works but cannot afford to buy insurance, he said.
• "It's the right thing to do to try and help the most needy in South Dakota," Rave said. "We're looking for something that is a common sense, conservative approach to helping those South Dakotans who are working hard but just having a hard time making ends meet."
• House Minority Leader Bernie Hunhoff, D-Yankton, said Democrats would prefer to expand Medicaid to cover everyone up to 138 percent of the poverty level but said the governor's proposal would be a good start.
• "Half a loaf is better than nothing," Hunhoff said.
• Hunhoff said he hopes the governor's proposal does not impose a work requirement on those who get Medicaid under an expansion. Many low-income people cannot find jobs because of disabilities or other problems, he said.
• Daugaard said he still worries that the federal government will be unable to fulfill its promise to pay most of the cost of expanding Medicaid.
• "I'm concerned about the ability of the federal government to control itself and its spending," he said.

SD helps low-income people deal with propane costs

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard says he has authorized the use of some extra money to help people in a heating assistance program

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