Press Releases - Senator John Thune

Thune, Klobuchar Bill to Provide Licensure Clarity for Sports Medicine Professionals Heads to the President

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today issued the following statements after the Senate repassed a modified version of their bipartisan Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, legislation to eliminate the ambiguity that currently exists with licensure and malpractice insurance for covered sports medicine professionals traveling across state... Continue Reading

Casey, Thune Urge CMS to Test Model to Make Opioid Treatments More Affordable for Seniors

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator John Thune (R-SD), led a bipartisan group of senators in a letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design... Continue Reading

Delegation Introduces Bills to Allow Tribal Grant Schools to Focus Resources to Improve Education

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today introduced Senate and House companion bills that would allow tribal grant schools to participate in Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) programs. This change would free up resources... Continue Reading

Thune, Senate Health IT Working Group Members Reintroduce Legislation to Improve Meaningful Use Program

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today reintroduced the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Regulatory Relief Act (S. 2059), legislation that would provide regulatory flexibility and hardship relief to address compliance burdens faced by EHR users.... Continue Reading

Thune Statement on President Trump’s Opioid Public Health Emergency Declaration

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement today regarding President Trump’s declaration of a nationwide public health emergency to address the opioid crisis: “Across America, communities and families are dealing with the devastating effects of the opioid crisis, and drug overdose deaths are on the rise.... Continue Reading

Thune-Supported Provisions to Address Chronic Illness Included in Senate-Passed Bill

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017 (S. 870), bipartisan legislation that would strengthen health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries living with chronic conditions. The bill, of which Thune is... Continue Reading

Thune Statement on the Senate Health Care Discussion Draft

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement regarding the health care discussion draft released today: “Under Obamacare, Americans are facing higher premiums, higher deductibles, and fewer choices. That’s why watching from the sidelines as Obamacare continues to fail is simply not an option. The draft health... Continue Reading

Thune: Obamacare’s Premium Increases Are Not Sustainable for South Dakotans

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed one of Obamacare’s many problems, massive premium hikes, citing a recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report that found the average individual market monthly premium in South Dakota had more than doubled between 2013 and 2017. Thune reiterated Republicans’ commitment... Continue Reading

Thune Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Services, Improve Health Outcomes, and Reduce Costs

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2017. The bill would expand telehealth services through Medicare, improve care outcomes, make it easier for patients to connect with their... Continue Reading

President Trump’s Speech Highlights Americans’ Priorities

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress: “Tonight President Trump highlighted his continued focus on tackling the issues that matter most to Americans,” said Thune. “I look forward to working with the president to implement policies that will... Continue Reading

Thune, Rounds Reintroduce Bill to Protect Tribal Veterans’ Health Care

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today reintroduced the Tribal Veterans Health Care Enhancement Act, legislation that would improve tribal veterans’ access to health care. The bill, which was first introduced in the 114th Congress, would allow the Indian Health Service (IHS) to cover copay... Continue Reading

Thune’s IHS Reform Bill Approved By Committee, Heads to Full Senate

Today the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs approved the Indian Health Service (IHS) Accountability Act of 2016, introduced earlier this year by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee. Thune’s bill, which is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John McCain... Continue Reading