Indigent Medication Program

The Indigent Medication Program provides temporary financial support to South Dakotans for medications used to treat mental illness and substance use disorders and related laboratory costs while other funding options are identified.

Medications and Services

• Psychotropic medications or medications used to treat a mental health diagnosis.
  • Approval timeframe: 2 months
• Medications used to decrease the side effects associated with psychotropic medications.
  • Approval timeframe: 2 months
• Medications used to treat alcohol use disorders and opioid use disorders.
  • Approval timeframe: 3 months
• Laboratory tests related to medications being taken to treat a mental health or substance use diagnoses.
  • Approval timeframe: 12 months

New Application
A new application must be completed when:

• The individual is new to the program.
• The individual’s application status is over one year old.
• The individual’s treatment provider (who assisted in completing the application) has changed.

Application | Printable

Notice of Privacy Practices

Update/Extension Request
An update is completed when:

• There is a change in dose or quantity to an already approved medication.
• There is the addition of a new medication.
• There is a change in pharmacy or lab center.

An extension request is completed when:

The timeframe on an approved medication will be expiring.

• This normally occurs when the individual needs additional time to secure another means of payment for their medications. Other means of payment include budgeting, patient assistance programs, employment, or insurance options.

Number of times an update or extension request can be submitted.

• Update requests are unlimited.
• Extension requests are limited to three.

Update - Extension Request Form | Printable

Patient Assistant Programs
Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) help people who have no health insurance or are underinsured afford medications. PAPs may cover the full cost of medications or provide a discount. The benefits received vary from program to program and each often have different requirements.

If you are taking a certain medication and are unsure if there is a PAP available, you can:

Utilize PAP Resource Centers.

• RxAssist
• NeedyMeds

Utilize websites that gather current prices and discounts to help you find the lowest cost pharmacy near you.

• GoodRx
• SingleCare
  • Google your medication's name plus "assistance program" or "savings program".
  • Call your medication's manufacturer and ask if they have an assistance program.
  • Check the medicare.gov of PAPs.

Here is a list of some PAPs.

• Gilead Advancing Access Program
• GSK Patient Assistance Program
• Healthwell Foundation
• PAN Foundation
• Lily Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program
• Navartis Patient Assistance Foundation
• Novo Patient Assistance Program
• Pfizer Patient Assistance Program
• Johnson & Johnson Patient Assistance Program

Participating Pharmacies & Laboratory Services
Providers must accept the Medicaid rate to participate in the program.

Participating Providers

To become a participating provider, please contact:
Division of Behavioral Health
Attn: Indigent Medication program
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605.773.3123
Fax: 605.773.7076
Email: DSSBHINDMED@state.sd.us