---
title: "South Dakota Medicaid Long-Term Care | Funding LTC Marketplace"
url: https://fundingltcmarketplace.com/states/south-dakota/medicaid-long-term-care/
description: "How South Dakota Medicaid, DSS, and the Department of Human Services divide long-term institutional and home-care functions."
last_updated: 2026-10-20
author: George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, LTCP (Central States Insurance Services, Inc.)
publisher: Funding LTC Marketplace
note: Educational content; not legal, tax or financial advice. Markdown copy of the HTML page at the URL above.
---
South Dakota · Medicaid Program

# South Dakota Medicaid Long-Term Care

Last updated 2026-10-20

South Dakota Medicaid forms the backbone of long-term care funding in the state, and the Department of Social Services runs the program under state and federal rules. DSS says the coverage can pay for care at home, in the community, or inside a facility once an applicant meets the program's standards.

For most older adults or people with a disability, two tracks matter most in practice: nursing-facility Medicaid and home- and community-based waiver services. The HOPE waiver — a joint effort between DSS and the Department of Human Services — targets people at risk of being institutionalized, and it requires both a nursing-facility level-of-care finding and standard DSS financial eligibility before someone can enroll.

## Sources and official resources

- [South Dakota DSS: Medicaid Coverage Groups](https://dss.sd.gov/economicassistance/medical_programs.aspx)
- [CMS: 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards](https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/cib04272026.pdf)

Rules and figures change. Confirm current details with the agency before you act.

[← Back to the full South Dakota guide](https://fundingltcmarketplace.com/states/south-dakota/)