Best Health Insurance in South Dakota


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Key Takeaways

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Avera Health Plans offers the best and most balanced coverage in South Dakota for health insurance.

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Avera Health Plans provides the best cheap health insurance in South Dakota, with Silver-tier plans averaging $389 monthly.

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To find the best health insurance in South Dakota, research available companies, decide coverage needs beforehand and compare plan quotes from multiple providers.

Best Health Insurance Companies in South Dakota

With a score of 85 out of 100, Avera Health Plans offers the best health insurance in South Dakota, excelling in affordability, customer service and coverage. If Avera Health Plans is unavailable in your area, Sanford Health Plan and Wellmark of South Dakota also provide excellent coverage options.

Avera Health Plans85Avera Direct Standard $5000
Sanford Health Plan79Sanford Individual TRUE Standardized $5,000
Wellmark of South Dakota, Inc.65Wellmark Silver Traditional EPO

*Our picks are the best companies for 40-year-olds looking for Silver-tier plans.

Best Health Insurance in South Dakota by Category

While we've given our top picks, the best company for you may differ depending on your profile and preferred plan type. So below, we've broken down the top picks for common categories to make more personalized recommendations.

Children/FamilesAvera Health Plans
Young AdultsAvera Health Plans
SeniorsAvera Health Plans
PPOAvera Health Plans
HMOAvera Health Plans
EPOWellmark of South Dakota, Inc.

Best South Dakota Health Insurance Reviews

Our top overall pick also excels in affordability and customer service reputation.

Avera Health Plans

Avera Health Plans: Best Overall

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pros

  • Integrated health system with extensive regional network

  • Cheapest rates in South Dakota

  • Best overall for most South Dakotans

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cons

  • Limited geographic coverage area

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Avera Health Plans was our pick for the best and cheapest health insurance in South Dakota, starting with a monthly rate of $389 for a Silver-tier plan. With a MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100, it offers an excellent balance of costs and coverage. Avera Health Plans has a 3.1% denial rate, lower than most of the competition. It offers HMO and PPO Silver plans with comprehensive coverage options and personalized customer service throughout South Dakota.

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in South Dakota

The following recommendations will ensure that buying health insurance that is ideal for you is easy.

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    Decide on your coverage needs before buying

    When looking for the best health insurance, weigh the monthly cost against the maximum out-of-pocket plan limits. If you go to the doctor often, a plan with a higher monthly fee but lower MOOP can save you money. But you may not need as much coverage if you're not high risk. Also, compare health insurance plan types to ensure how flexible a provider will be in covering you.

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    Compare company offerings and reputations

    Before comparing rates, understand what plans the top companies in your area offer and their terms. Also, look into company reputations through forums and industry sources like J.D. Power to ensure a smooth buying and coverage claims process.

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    Shop around

    Comparing multiple plans from many providers ensures you get the best possible deal. We found that rates can start as low as $389 monthly in South Dakota, depending on your profile and chosen plan type. Open Enrollment lasts from November 1 to January 15, but you may also qualify for Special Enrollment if you've lost your job, have gotten divorced or have had a child.

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    Take advantage of federal programs and subsidies

    Those with low income, have a qualifying disability or illness, or are 65 years old or older can receive subsidies or be eligible for Medicare plans. In some cases, depending on your details, you can have up to 100% of your premiums covered if you're low-income or have significant savings if you're eligible for Medicare. MoneyGeek also provides information for finding the top South Dakota Medicare Supplement and best Medicare Advantage plans in South Dakota if you want to learn more.

Best Health Insurance in South Dakota: Bottom Line

Overall, our top three picks for South Dakota health insurance are Avera Health Plans, Sanford Health Plan and Wellmark of South Dakota. However, the best possible health insurance plan for you will vary widely depending on your personal details and coverage needs. Compare as many plans and companies as possible to get the right fit.

Best South Dakota Health Insurance: FAQ

Below, we've answered frequently asked questions about the best health insurance in South Dakota:

What is the best health insurance provider in South Dakota for 2025?

What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in South Dakota?

How We Chose the Best Health Insurance in South Dakota

To rank health care insurance providers in South Dakota, MoneyGeek researched premiums, out-of-pocket costs, claims denial rates and plan types for each available company and compared them across different categories. We then weighted each category to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score and derive rankings.

We weighted most categories as follows:

  • Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) score (30%): The MOOP is the most you'll pay per year for health care costs outside of your monthly premiums. The provider with the lowest average MOOP scores the highest.
  • Claims denial score (30%): How often a provider denies claims. The provider with the lowest claims denial rate scores the highest.
  • Rate score (20%): How much the provider's monthly plans cost. The cheapest provider, on average, gets the highest score.
  • Plan type score (20%): Providers score better if they have plan types with broader coverage. A provider with many PPO plans will get the highest score.

In some cases, we adjusted the weightings as follows:

  • For the categories "Best Cheap Health Insurance in South Dakota" and "Best Health Insurance in South Dakota for Low Income," we increased the rate score weighting to 50%. We decreased every other category by 10%.
  • For the category "Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in South Dakota," we decreased the plan type score weighting to 0% to reflect that we are comparing providers' plans like-for-like. We increased MOOP and claims denial score weightings by 10% each.

Sample Consumer:

MoneyGeek collected data on all available plans in South Dakota for consumers aged 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. Unless otherwise noted, all monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old buyer, such as the category for young adults. Plans analyzed in each section include the relevant cited metal tiers, which include Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

About Mark Fitzpatrick


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Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.


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