Any person insured by a health insurance company, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, individual practice association, or nonprofit hospital service corporation may assign in writing benefits from such policy, contract, or certificate to a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 34-12. If such assignment is executed and written notice thereof is given, the insurance company, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, individual practice association, or nonprofit hospital service corporation shall pay the benefits directly to the hospital.

Nothing in this section modifies the scope of coverage or the amount of benefits payable under a health insurance policy, contract, or certificate.

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 58-17-61

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • insured: as used in this chapter , shall not be construed as preventing a person other than the insured with a proper insurable interest from making application for and owning a policy covering the insured or from being entitled under such a policy to any indemnities, benefits, and rights provided therein. See South Dakota Codified Laws 58-17-43
  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
  • written: include typewriting and typewritten, printing and printed, except in the case of signatures, and where the words are used by way of contrast to typewriting and printing. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2

Source: SL 1989, ch 430.