Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in South Dakota?

By Carol Bennett, Senior EditorUpdated October 12, 2026How we evaluate

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The short answer

Yes. South Dakota's HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

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What stands out in South Dakota

1 South Dakota Medicaid program we read names a medical alert; it serves older adults. (HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence))
For 2027, 3 Medicare Advantage plans in South Dakota list a medical alert, down from 4 in 2026. 10 of 66 counties have at least one, down from 49 in 2026. Brookings and Clay have the most, 3 each. (CMS benefit files, 2026, CMS benefit files, 2027)
Medicare lists 70 equipment suppliers here, about 43 for every 100,000 people aged 65 and over. Sioux Falls has the most, 20. (CMS supplier directory, Census ACS 2020-2024)

South Dakota's HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) lists a medical alert

Medicaid calls it a PERS.

Programs for older adults
Program	Who it serves	Medical alert?	Source
HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence)	Age 65+ and adults 18+ with a qualifying disability at risk of nursing facility placement	Lists a medical alert	Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026 What it says “Emergency Response Systems (ERS) (S5161) An emergency response system is an electronic device that enables a participant who lives in his or her home to secure help in an emergency.”

One phone call starts the application

Call Dakota at Home (SD aging and disability resource center), DHS Long Term Services and Supports: 833-663-9673

Ask for a “personal emergency response system” under the HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) program. What else to ask

3 Medicare Advantage plans here list a medical alert

How CMS marks these

Find a county

AuroraNo plans listed

BeadleNo plans listed

BennettNo plans listed

Bon HommeNo plans listed

Brookings3 plans

BrownNo plans listed

BruleNo plans listed

BuffaloNo plans listed

ButteNo plans listed

CampbellNo plans listed

Charles MixNo plans listed

ClarkNo plans listed

Medicare lists 70 equipment suppliers here

Home equipment, not alerts; price labels explained

Find a city

Equipment

Aberdeen2 suppliers

Belle Fourche1 supplier

Big Stone City1 supplier

Brookings4 suppliers

Burke1 supplier

Chamberlain1 supplier

Dakota Dunes1 supplier

Eagle Butte1 supplier

Freeman1 supplier

Gregory1 supplier

Hartford1 supplier

Hot Springs1 supplier

Lift chairs · Medicare and lift chairs · Adjustable beds.

28.6% of older South Dakota residents live alone

People 65 and over who live alone: 28.6%; 46,784 people. Census ACS 2020-2024. Census source
Deaths from falls, age 65+, per 100,000: 117.5; Age-adjusted, 2024. CDC source

All states

If nothing pays, the monthly bill is yours

Original Medicare does not pay; compare prices.

Paying yourself? Medical Care Alert

From $29.95/mo for the Home plan; without a landline, LTE cellular adds $5/mo (price page, October 1, 2026).

See Medical Care Alert plans

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Questions families ask

Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in South Dakota?

Yes: South Dakota's HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) lists one.

Do Medicare Advantage plans in South Dakota cover a medical alert?

3 Medicare Advantage plans in South Dakota list a medical alert for 2027.

Data checked October 12, 2026. How we built this · Report a correction

Sources

Coverage checklist for South Dakota

Yes. South Dakota's HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

Program: HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence). Call Dakota at Home (SD aging and disability resource center), DHS Long Term Services and Supports at 833-663-9673.

Plans (2027)

Aetna Medicare Dual Classic (PPO D-SNP), Aetna Medicare (plan ID H1608-062-0)
Aetna Medicare Full Dual (PPO D-SNP), Aetna Medicare (plan ID H5521-758-0)
Aetna Medicare Full Dual Classic (PPO D-SNP), Aetna Medicare (plan ID H1608-121-0)

Ask: does the HOPE Waiver (Home and Community Based Options and Person-Centered Excellence) program cover a personal emergency response system for my parent, and how do we apply?

Data checked October 12, 2026.

https://medicalalertreview.com/coverage/south-dakota