South Dakota Regulation Division of Insurance
Bulletin 07-07
Fax: 605-773-5369
TO: Long-Term Care Producers and Insurers FROM: Merle Scheiber, Director
DATE: November 1, 2007
RE: Long-Term Care Training
Previously the Division had not been pre-approving the 8 hour training courses required under the new Long-Term Care rules. Due to numerous requests from industry the Division will now be approving training courses. Each trainer will be notified accordingly as to whether their course has been approved and for how many hours. Any training courses previously submitted for Continuing Education credit have been automatically reviewed. A listing of approved training courses will be included on our LTC website.
Some courses that have been offered may not have been approved for the full 8 hours of credit.
Unlike Continuing Education, 8 full hours of training will be required rather than allowing for 50 minutes of training per hour. An agent may satisfy the requirement by taking two or more courses which cumulatively equal or exceed the 8 hours of training required. Agents are encouraged to check with their trainer to determine whether the course that has been or will be taken has been approved and if so, for how many hours.
The 8 hour training requirement need not be South Dakota specific training. For instance nonresident agents may satisfy their 8 hours of training by taking courses in their home state.
However, each agent, both resident and nonresident, is still responsible for obtaining specific training on South Dakota Medicaid. Whether that is done within the scope of the 8 hours of training or is provided outside the scope of the 8 hours of training is optional. Insurers are responsible for monitoring whether their agents have received the requisite training including the state specific training on South Dakota Medicaid.
These requirements of this Bulletin will also apply to the four hours of long-term care training required in each subsequent two year period.