WASHINGTON, D.C. (KELO AM) South Dakota's John Thune (R) is defending the proposed Obamacare replacement plan in the U.S. Senate from claims it makes deep cuts in Medicaid.
"Medicaid will increase under this plan every year. It will increase every year at the rate of inflation."
Senator Thune, who was part of the select group that crafted the plan behind closed doors, tells Fox News that the Democrats are putting out a lot of "misinformation" about the proposal that was made public on Thursday.
Thune says there could be a vote by the full Senate as early as next week.
The draft plan slows the expansion of Medicaid, which, experts say, would effectively result in steeper cuts in the program eventually. But the Senate draft does not slow Medicaid expansion as much as the plan approved by the U.S. House.
South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds (R) says he's asked insurance experts in South Dakota to get back to him with their comments on the Medicaid issue, but he seems satisfied with the general thrust.
"To try to bring the cost of Medicaid back under control again. Not to reduce the payments, but to slow down the increasing number of payments that would be going on." says Rounds.
Rounds says that, overall, it looks like the Obamacare replacement would be good for South Dakota.
"13,000 people who didnt get anything before, now are going to be able to receive tax credits that should help them purchase insurance coverage in the future. 77,000 people that would have been losing insurance with one or maybe two options, should see a more competitive market."
Rounds says there are some tweaks he would like and he will be making his suggestions to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
