PIERRE, S.D. – Lt.
Governor Dennis Daugaard announced today that the final report from
the Zaniya Project Task Force was delivered to Gov. Mike Rounds, the
Health Care Commission, and the South Dakota Legislature. The
report, entitled Create Access To Affordable, Comprehensive Health
Insurance For All South Dakotans is posted on the Zaniya website at
www.zaniya.sd.gov or click on
the Zaniya icon at www.state.sd.us.
The report was
created as a result of the passage of HB 1169 during the 2007
session.
Gov. Rounds asked Lt.
Governor Dennis Daugaard to lead the Task Force as chairman and work
together with well-respected professionals to examine South Dakota’s
uninsured population. The Task Force membership was diverse,
including employers, health care providers, the insurance industry,
tribal health representatives, consumers, trade association
representatives and state government officials.
“I want to commend
the Zaniya Project Task Force members for their efforts in pulling
together a plan that establishes the foundation for insuring more
South Dakotans in the future,” said Lt. Gov. Daugaard. “Working with
a very tight timeline, the Task Force generated a comprehensive
report for incrementally insuring more South Dakotans. We used a
consensus building process to develop the Zaniya Task Force report’s
recommendations, strategies and actions.”
The report presents
16 recommendations to:
expand the opportunities for
purchasing more affordable, quality commercial health insurance
for more of South Dakota's citizens;
extend health coverage to more of
South Dakota's low income uninsured through premium subsidies
for private insurance;
improve private and public health
care purchasing in South Dakota by reducing costs and purchasing
for value;
improve health coverage and health
status of American Indians living in South Dakota through
national, state and tribal initiatives.
