South Dakota is one of the friendlier states for hearing aid coverage: Medicaid pays for hearing aids for both children and adults, including the exam, earmold, fitting, follow-up visits, and monthly batteries. There's no law making private insurance cover hearing aids, but the state's Hearing Aid Assistance Program can pay 50-100% of the cost of aids and earmolds for kids under 19 in families earning under 400% of the poverty level. Since the 2023 Medicaid expansion, many more low-income adults (18-64) qualify for the Medicaid hearing aid benefit.
By Lilly Seay · Updated July 2026
SD Medicaid covers hearing aids for adults with hearing loss of 30 dB or more (average at 500/1,000/2,000 Hz, or 30 dB at 2,000 Hz and above), prescribed by a physician, other licensed practitioner, or certified clinical audiologist (DMEPOS manual, updated Jan 2026). Covers monaural, binaural, BAHA, and BiCROS aids; the rate includes earmold, fitting, follow-up, and cleaning over 24 months. Claims may not be submitted until 30 days after placement (trial period). Batteries are covered in monthly quantities (except for nursing home residents, where the facility supplies them). Replacement after a minimum of 3 years once the warranty has expired and the aid is no longer serviceable; broken aids for adults 21+ may be replaced sooner when the DME provider deems appropriate (not due to neglect or misuse); stolen aids need a police report. No routine prior authorization is listed for standard aids; limits follow ARSD 67:16:29. Delivered fee-for-service (South Dakota has no Medicaid managed care organizations; some members need a referral from their care management provider). Change to know: South Dakota expanded Medicaid in July 2023, so adults 18-64 up to 138% FPL now qualify for this benefit.
Federal EPSDT law (42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r)(4)) requires every state — South Dakota included — to cover hearing aids for Medicaid-enrolled children under 21 at no cost to the family. Covered under EPSDT for members under 21, with extra flexibility for kids: earmolds may be replaced (12+ months after dispensing or after warranty expiration) for growth, breakage, or loss; lost or stolen aids can be replaced before the 3-year mark; broken aids are replaced with new ones once the warranty expires; CROS aids covered ages 0-20. Newborn hearing screening and Bright Futures well-child hearing screenings are covered. South Dakota's CHIP is a Medicaid-expansion CHIP run by the Department of Social Services with the same benefits as Medicaid — families apply once through DSS (dss.sd.gov or 1-800-305-3064) and children up to about 209% FPL qualify.
South Dakota has no law requiring state-regulated private health plans to cover hearing aids for any age (the EHDI/infanthearing.org legislation tracker lists South Dakota as 'No Legislation'; some national aggregator sites incorrectly suggest otherwise). Recent bills, including HB 1233 (2025) that would have appropriated $300,000 to fund hearing aids for children, were withdrawn or failed. Coverage depends entirely on the individual plan.
Remember: state mandates only reach state-regulated ("fully insured") plans. Self-funded employer plans — covering about two-thirds of insured workers — are exempt under federal ERISA law. One question to HR settles which kind you have.
South Dakota's individual market is dominated by three regional carriers — Avera, Sanford Health Plan, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield — while Medicaid is fee-for-service with no managed-care organizations at all. Since there's no private-insurance hearing aid mandate, plan-by-plan differences matter, but Medicaid itself covers hearing aids for both kids and adults.
One of three insurers on South Dakota's federal marketplace for 2026, with statewide coverage. There's no SD hearing aid mandate, so hearing aid coverage depends on the specific Avera plan — check your policy documents.
Offers statewide 2026 individual marketplace plans and Medicare Advantage plans called Align powered by Sanford Health Plan in select counties. Align plans include supplemental dental, vision, and hearing benefits in South Dakota; specifics vary by plan, so review the Evidence of Coverage.
The state's Blue Cross affiliate, offering 2026 individual marketplace plans in 42 of South Dakota's 66 counties. With no state mandate, hearing aid coverage varies by plan.
Yes — South Dakota is one of the friendlier states here. SD Medicaid covers hearing aids for adults with hearing loss of 30 dB or more, prescribed by a physician, other licensed practitioner, or certified audiologist. The benefit includes the earmold, fitting, follow-up visits, and cleaning over 24 months, plus monthly batteries. Monaural, binaural, BAHA, and BiCROS aids are all covered, with replacement after at least 3 years once the warranty ends and the aid can't be fixed. It's delivered fee-for-service — South Dakota has no Medicaid managed-care plans.
No. South Dakota has no law requiring private health plans to cover hearing aids at any age — the national EHDI legislation tracker lists it as a no-legislation state, and recent bills like HB 1233 in 2025 (which would have funded hearing aids for children) failed. So whether an Avera, Sanford Health Plan, or Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield plan pays anything toward hearing aids depends entirely on that individual policy. Call your insurer and ask specifically about hearing aid benefits, allowances, and exclusions before you buy.
Families first: the South Dakota Hearing Aid Assistance Program (HAAP) can pay 50 to 100 percent of the cost of hearing aids and earmolds for kids under 19 in families earning under 400 percent of the poverty level. Adults whose hearing loss affects work can ask the Division of Rehabilitation Services (Vocational Rehabilitation) for help. DakotaLink, the state's assistive technology program, offers device loans and guidance, and Relay SD's Telecommunications Equipment Distribution program provides free phone equipment. And if your income qualifies, SD Medicaid covers hearing aids for adults and children.
More people than ever before. South Dakota expanded Medicaid in July 2023, so adults 18 to 64 with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level now qualify — and with it, the hearing aid benefit. You'll need documented hearing loss of 30 dB or more (averaged at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz, or 30 dB at 2,000 Hz and above) and a prescription from a physician, licensed practitioner, or certified clinical audiologist. There's a 30-day trial period before claims are submitted. If money has kept you from treating your hearing loss, it's worth checking your eligibility.
Some do, as an extra benefit beyond Original Medicare. For example, Align powered by Sanford Health Plan — Sanford's Medicare Advantage product, sold in select South Dakota counties — includes supplemental dental, vision, and hearing benefits. What each plan actually pays toward hearing aids varies, and we can't promise specific dollar amounts, so compare plans carefully. Check the Evidence of Coverage for the hearing benefit details, or call the plan and ask what it covers for hearing exams, aids, and fittings before you enroll.
While you sort out coverage, the Hearing Buddy app gives you live captions on your phone — free, instantly.