Latest news with #BenHanson
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
South Dakota coalition forms to oppose Medicaid cuts
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A new coalition of healthcare professionals, patient advocates, rural leaders and small business owners from across the state is launching 'Hands Off Medicaid – South Dakota' to oppose proposed federal cuts to Medicaid and ACA subsidies. 29-year-old state inmate dead; 9th this year 'This bill represents a complete retreat from decades of bipartisan progress in expanding access to health care,' said Earl Pomeroy, former North Dakota Congressman and Insurance Commissioner in a press release. The group emphasized the proposed cuts would be especially harmful to rural South Dakota health centers. More than 147,000 South Dakotans currently rely on Medicaid, according to the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS). 'Medicaid gives people access to lifesaving medications and treatments like insulin, asthma inhalers, prenatal care, and cancer screenings. For almost 27,000 South Dakotans, this bill means losing coverage entirely.' said Ben Hanson, Head of Government Affairs for the American Cancer Society – South Dakota in a press release. The coalition formed after the U.S. House passed a budget to cut Medicaid coverage, which would pull coverage from thousands, hurt rural hospital funding, and threaten mental health and addiction services–despite only 9% of SD voters supporting the cuts. 'When coverage rates fall, rural health centers lose critical funding — putting access to primary care, maternal care, dental services, and behavioral health at risk for everyone in those communities.' said Shelley Ten Napel, CEO of the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas in a press release. The coalition plans to continue expanding in the coming weeks and months, and urges South Dakotans to contact Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune about protecting Medicaid as the budget bill heads to the U.S. Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
SD seeks Medicaid work rules in spite of similar moves by Congress
U.S. House Republicans are debating cutbacks to Medicaid, the health care program for lower-income Americans and some people with disabilities. (Photo by) Despite Republican U.S. Congress members' intentions to set Medicaid work requirements at a federal level, South Dakota officials plan to ask President Donald Trump to approve their own set of Medicaid work requirements. Medicaid is government-funded health insurance for people with low incomes, and for adults and children with disabilities. South Dakotans voted in 2022 to expand Medicaid to adults with incomes below 138% of the poverty level, a decision that allowed the state to capitalize on a 90% federal funding match. In 2024, voters passed another constitutional amendment to let the state to seek approval from the federal government to impose Medicaid work requirements. The state's waiver proposal seeking approval for a Medicaid work requirement had been drafted by the time Congress began to debate work requirements at the federal level this year. Two public hearings will be held during the public comment period: 10:30 a.m. May 30 at the DSS office in Pierre. 11 a.m. June 12 at the DSS OneStop office in Sioux Falls. Written comments can be emailed to MedicaidSPA@ with the subject line 'SDCareerLink Public Comment,' or mailed to the Division of Medical Services in Pierre. Individuals working, earning an income and gaining 'independence and self-sufficiency' experience 'greater health and economic well-being,' the proposal states. Ben Hanson, North and South Dakota government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said barriers to accessible and affordable health care hurt South Dakotans in the long run. He worries work requirements at the state or federal level will burden employees and small business owners with paperwork. A majority of Medicaid recipients already work or are exempted from work, he said. Given South Dakota's tight budget outlook, he worries lawmakers won't pay to properly staff and oversee a work requirement program. Too little staff and too much paperwork, could keepSouth Dakotans from seeking needed care, he said, which could lead to more costly expenses if a medical condition goes untreated. 'It seems like it's set up for non-success,' Hanson said. The state will take public comment on its proposal through June 18. At the federal level, proposed Medicaid work requirements would mandate those between 19 and 65 who rely on the state-federal health program to work, participate in community service, or attend an educational program for at least 80 hours each month. South Dakota's state-level work rules, as proposed, wouldn't require employed Medicaid recipients to work or be in school for a set number of hours. The state would review compliance on an annual basis, at the time of Medicaid renewal. The federal government also has more exceptions to its proposed changes than the state. South Dakota would allow exceptions for people who are: Pregnant or postpartum, Disabled, as determined by the Social Security Administration, Have a cancer or other serious or terminal medical condition verified by a physician, In an intensive behavioral health treatment program, hospitalized or living in a nursing home facility, In an area with at least unemployment 20% higher than the national average and are exempt from SNAP requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. People who would meet the state's requirements are: Employed Enrolled in job training or school Caretakers for a dependent child in their home Caretakers for an elderly or disabled person in their home People who already meet work requirements for other federal programs like SNAP or unemployment insurance. The federal program would also exempt tribal community members, those in the foster care system, people who were in foster care who are younger than 26, individuals released from incarceration in the last 90 days, among others, from work requirements. During Trump's first administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved 13 state work requirement waivers. Arkansas' program was the first to implement its program in 2018, but that state was stopped by a federal court after nine months. About 18,000 people lost coverage in Arkansas. Employment levels did not increase. The Biden administration rescinded all work requirement approvals, but Georgia started its own work requirement program in July 2023 without federal support. Per South Dakota Department of Social Services' estimate, 80% of the people who got coverage under Medicaid expansion already work or wouldn't have to under its proposed work requirement. South Dakota's Medicaid expansion population as of April 2025 stood at 30,542. Covering the expansion population will cost about $364.5 million this year. A work requirement program would reduce enrollment by 5-10% in the first year, the department said. That would save the Medicaid program between $48.9 million and $71 million in the first year, the department claims. In the following years, the department expects enrollment to stay flat if work requirements are implemented rather than grow at a previously anticipated 2% each year. South Dakota voters will decide next year whether to continue requiring Medicaid expansion if federal support for the program declines. The ballot question will ask voters to authorize the termination of Medicaid expansion if federal support falls below 90%. In addition to setting work requirements at a federal level, Republicans pushed a Medicaid overhaul through the House in a budget reconciliation package this week. The changes reduce the program by $625 million over 10 years under the latest estimate by the Congressional Budget Office.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Tracy Beaker star announces exciting baby news after quitting UK for new life in America
A TRACY Beaker star has announced he's set to become a dad for the first time after quitting the UK for a new life in America. Ben Hanson starred as Bouncer Plakova in BBC series Tracy Beaker, which ran from 2002 until 2005. 3 3 3 After swapping the UK for the US, Ben, 39, married wife Kelsey six months ago. And now he's revealed they're having a baby. Taking to Instagram the couple shared a sweet post, telling fans: "Mother's Day just got even sweeter. "Baby Hanson coming early December." Followers rushed to comment, with one writing: "Omg bouncer is gonna be a dad! congratulations both of you." These days Ben, 39, looks unrecognisable compared to when he shot to fame in Tracy Beaker. After retraining as a personal trainer following his time on the show, Ben recently opened up about his decision to move to America. He said: "My decision was lead by a prayer that I said one night probably at my lowest point. "I asked for a sign of what I should do. That night I dreamt I was in a forest, surrounded by trees, on a path that spilt in two. "I went to walk up the left path when I heard a voice calling to me. The voice was a female and had an American accent, the voice said 'Ben, not that way, that is not your path' so I changed my direction and walked my new path and woke up!" He then revealed that, after making the move, he almost instantly matched with Kelsey on a dating app, with them going on their first date just weeks later.
