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.
Best Health Insurance in South Dakota
Updated: June 21, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Avera Health Plans offers the best and most balanced coverage in South Dakota for health insurance.
Avera Health Plans provides the best cheap health insurance in South Dakota, with Silver-tier plans averaging $389 monthly.
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
| Avera Health Plans | 85 | Avera Direct Standard $5000 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 79 | Sanford Individual TRUE Standardized $5,000 |
| Wellmark of South Dakota, Inc. | 65 | Wellmark 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/Familes | Avera Health Plans |
| Young Adults | Avera Health Plans |
| Seniors | Avera Health Plans |
| PPO | Avera Health Plans |
| HMO | Avera Health Plans |
| EPO | Wellmark 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: Best Overall
pros
Integrated health system with extensive regional network
Cheapest rates in South Dakota
Best overall for most South Dakotans
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Avera Health Plans provides the best health insurance in South Dakota for 2025. However, your best choice will depend on your unique circumstances and needs and if coverage is available in your county.
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in South Dakota?
When finding the best health insurance plan, compare premium costs and coverage breadth to ensure the plan meets your specific medical needs without gaps in essential services. The ideal plan balances affordability with comprehensive coverage that aligns with your health requirements and anticipated medical expenses.
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
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.