SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – As part of National Health Center Week, the Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD) held a virtual press conference to discuss the challenges facing community health centers around the state.
Community health centers are vital healthcare providers that offer healthcare to underserved populations, regardless of insurance and income status.
Community Health Centers are very reliant on Medicaid funding, and many are trying to make tweaks to planning and services in order to adjust.
The cuts to Medicaid are expected to amount to over a trillion dollars over ten years, as work requirements, changes to financing rules, and higher copayments will make accessing the program more difficult.
These cuts do not take effect until 2027, and one official from CHAD is reminding people to get ahead.
“They can contact their health center and talk about enrollment insurance options, and we also have navigators on staff who can help people look at their enrollment options and know that there are still pathways to coverage and that health centers are still here to care for people,” said Shannon Bacon, CHAD Director of External Affairs.
Complete Health CEO Tim Trithart says these temporary solutions will likely lead to a bigger problem.
“The concerning thing for me as a CEO is we’ll adapt in terms of what we do and what it means is that I will do less of what I do in order to make ends meet and pay the staff that I need to be able to pay,” said Trithart.
Trithart said it’s a similar approach to taking care of a car.
“You can reduce the number of times you take your car in to get your oil changed, but eventually your transmission is going to blow, and that’s going to be much more expensive to fix down the road.”
The Big Beautiful Bill did include a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program in order to protect rural hospitals, which are most at risk.
CHAD CEO Shelly Ten Napel said it gives a little hope to some hope to providers.
Ten Napel acknowledged that it is hard to compare the rural exception to all of the cuts, but her organization is optimistic about the investment opportunities that will be presented.
Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.