South Dakota governor prepared to jettison working class

South Dakota's Republican governor shrugged about the fates of 19,000 people who would lose affordable medical insurance if the Supreme Court of the United States alters patient protection under the Affordable Care Act. 88 percent of South Dakota buyers who paid premiums received financial assistance, which averaged about $229.

Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton, D-Burke, said he supports a state exchange and hopes South Dakota establishes one if the subsidies are struck down. He said Republicans and Democrats in the state should have been more active in planning for that outcome, though he said some details are still unclear. CJ Clifford, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, said he has coverage through the exchange that has helped him get his shoulder replaced. Clifford, whose subsidy is at risk, said he signed up for coverage to help free up money for other tribe members to get care from the Indian Health Service. "As far as creating a better quality of life for me, it has done that already," he said. [Yankton Press & Dakotan]

Medicaid provider fraud plagues the state where opacity in government is the norm.

In a surprise to no one South Dakota hates women's rights the most and where women seeking certain medical procedures face higher hurtles than in any other state.

A trustworthy or scrupulous At-large US Representative would set partisan politics aside, call out South Dakota's governor for putting the lives of the state's residents at risk and urge him to expand Medicaid coverage for the working class.

The tens of millions in costs of administrating 66 county seats and six four-year regental universities serve as part of pay-to-play political cronyism in a state that purports to be conservative.