Best South Dakota Medicare Advantage Plans

MoneyGeek researched which Medicare Advantage plans in the state received the highest ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ five-star quality rating system.

We also considered options among different plan types, looked at whether Part D drug coverage is included and examined out-of-pocket costs to find the best Medicare Advantage plans in South Dakota.

Our recommendations are based on general factors, so you’ll want to consider your needs to find the right plan for you. Ensuring that the hospital and providers you want to use are in the plan’s network is essential, for example.

MoneyGeek also analyzed the best medicare supplement plans in South Dakota for those focused on covering out-of-pocket expenses.

The best Medicare Advantage Plan in South Dakota for you will depend on your preferences and needs.

If you're looking for a PPO plan that includes drug coverage, the six core benefits, and receives a high rating from CMS, we discovered that UnitedHealthcare's AARP Medicare Advantage Choice plan is likely the best option for you.

While Health Maintenance Organization plans are generally cheaper than Preferred Provider Organization plans, the latter offers more flexibility. PPOs also tend to have more extensive provider networks, and you can see a specialist without needing a referral from your primary care provider.

Out-of-pocket limits for this plan vary, depending on your county of residence. You can expect a $5,900 in-network max-out-of-pocket limit in Butte, Custer, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington counties, and a $3,900 max-out-of-pocket limit in Brookings, Clay, Deuel, Hamlin, Lake, Lincoln, Minnehaha, Moody, Turner, Union and Yankton counties.

To get the best Health Maintenance Organization Medicare Advantage Plan in South Dakota, you’ll want to consider your unique needs and preferences. South Dakota has extremely limited availability. Its HMO plan is available in only five counties.

If you’re looking for an HMO plan in South Dakota, MoneyGeek found that the only available plan is Humana Gold Plus H0028-053 from Humana. You’ll want to find out if this plan is available in your location and if your providers are included in its network before making a decision to buy it.

Compared to other plan types, HMOs are generally cheaper. With an HMO, however, you will have to stay within your provider network if you want to be covered except during an emergency, and you will need a referral to see a specialist. However, if in-network providers are readily available to you, you can enjoy significantly lower monthly premiums with an HMO.

There are generally more options available for you if you don’t need Part D prescription drug coverage.

UnitedHealthcare’s AARP Medicare Advantage Choice (PPO) might be the best plan even if you don’t need drug coverage. It’s a great option if you are looking for a Medicare Advantage Plan in South Dakota in which drug coverage is optional but which includes all six core benefits and is highly rated by CMS.

You’ll want to do your homework before making a final decision. The max-out-of-pocket limit for this plan is $5,900 in some counties, and $3,900 in others.

You may still need to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket even whether your Medicare Advantage plan includes low or no premiums.

We determined that the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice (PPO) plan, offered by UnitedHealthcare, is the best plan if you want a Medicare Advantage Plan in South Dakota that has a low in-network max-out-of-pocket limit, includes drug coverage and the six core benefits and is highly rated by the CMS.

South Dakota has around eight organizations that offer Medicare Advantage plans. We provide the following Medicare Advantage statistics to help you figure out the state's common and rare plan components.

MoneyGeek collected data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2022 MA Landscape Source Files released in October 2021. Plans in South Dakota were filtered down to those that offer drug coverage (unless otherwise noted), offer six of the most common Medicare Advantage coverage benefits and are available to at least 50% of the population of South Dakota based on county availability.