Families and Children
Medical Assistance for Low-Income Families
Low-income families in South Dakota with or without private health insurance may be eligible for Medical Assistance for Low-Income Families.
Medical coverage may begin three months prior to applying for the program.
Eligibility Requirements
- The family must consist of a parent or other adult caretaker relative and a dependent child.
- A caretaker relative may be a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, stepparent, etc.
- A dependent child is a child under age 18 who is living with a parent or caretaker relative. If a child is 18 years old and still a fulltime student in high school, the child is considered a dependent child if he or she is expected to complete school before reaching age 19.
- NOTE: Recipients of SSI are not considered part of the family size.
- The family's monthly gross income, based on family size, may not exceed the following amounts:
| 1 |
$563 |
| 2 |
$703 |
| 3 |
$796 |
| 4 |
$885 |
| 5 |
$997 |
| 6 |
$1,070 |
| Amount increases with each additional member |
- The family's resources may not exceed $2,000. Resources include items such as checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs). Certain assets such as the home in which you live and one vehicle are not counted.
Covered Services
Eligible families are entitled to full Medical Assistance coverage. Covered services include:
- doctor appointments,
- hospital stays,
- dental and vision services,
- prescription drugs,
- rehab/therapy,
- chiropractic services
Medical coverage may begin three months prior to the application date. The start of medical coverage is based on the date the application is received in the local office.
Application
To apply for Medical Assistance for Low-Income Families, you must complete an application and return it to your local DSS office.
The application can be found on the forms and publications page.
When completing the application, you must:
- Send proof of income (current pay stubs, award letters, etc.) received in the last 30 days along with the application.
- Send proof of expenses for child support paid to anther household.
