South Dakota has no private-payer telehealth payment parity
Summary
South Dakota law bars insurers from excluding a service just because it is delivered via telehealth, but it does not require them to pay telehealth at the same rate as in-person care. Private plans can reimburse telehealth below the in-person rate.
South Dakota has a private-payer telehealth coverage law, but CCHP records no reference for payment parity, meaning insurers are not required to reimburse telehealth at the in-person rate and may set their own criteria. This affects clinicians and practices that rely on commercial reimbursement to sustain telehealth, since lower payment can make virtual visits financially unviable. It particularly affects rural and behavioral-health providers serving patients who depend on remote care.
Source: Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP), South Dakota state telehealth page (2026).
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