Tricia Brooks, a research professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who studies Medicaid, warned that South Dakota’s Medicaid computer system “has a long way to evolve,” according to the report.
“Unless they’re going to really boost their eligibility [processing] capacity, then I think we’re in for a rough or rocky start to expansion,” Ms. Brooks told the news outlet.
She said that could leave some residents temporarily uninsured even after they receive Medicaid eligibility, according to the report. She also said state administrators could face additional challenges if the federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends while South Dakota is enrolling newly eligible residents into the program.
The South Dakota Department of Social Services said it anticipates needing a significant number of additional staff and technology resources for the implementation, according to the report. The department has created a leadership team to oversee necessary policy and system changes.
Lackluster publicity efforts and an outdated application system led to a slow enrollment process in Missouri after voters approved Medicaid expansion in 2020, according to the report.
South Dakota must submit its Medicaid expansion plan to the federal government by March 1 and begin providing benefits to newly eligible residents by July 1, according to the report. More than 40,000 people are expected to gain eligibility through the expansion.
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