SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Fifteen nursing homes have closed across the state since 2019.  Six of the remaining 98 are on a federal list of facilities that do not meet basic standards of care.  The staff turnover rate in nursing homes is 54%.

South Dakota lawmakers agreed to an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, the main way that nursing homes generate their revenue, during the last legislative session.  In addition, the Legislature also authorized $5 million from the American Rescue Plan funding package from the federal government for telehealth services in various health facilities, including nursing homes.

Census data show that South Dakota’s population is aging and by 2030, one-fifth of South Dakota residents will be older than 65.