South Dakota · Pennington County

Health insurance plans in Pennington County, South Dakota (2027)

I pulled every 2027 marketplace plan sold in Pennington County, South Dakota out of the official CMS plan file. There are 25 plans from three carriers, and a 40 year old in Pennington pays $801 a month at full price for the benchmark silver plan. That is $235 more than in Minnehaha County, the other South Dakota county I track. Across all 79 counties and parishes I track, only twelve have a higher benchmark. That is $27 more than the 2026 benchmark of $774, a change of 4 percent. Below are the carriers, the plan counts, the full prices before subsidy, and what I think the numbers mean if you live in Rapid City, Box Elder, Hill City, Wall or anywhere else in the county.

Who sells marketplace plans in Pennington County

Pennington County has more carriers than Minnehaha County, the other South Dakota county I track, three against two. Across all 79 counties and parishes I track, 58 have more carriers than Pennington. Avera Health Plans alone accounts for 10 of the 25 plans in Pennington, 40 percent of the shelf, so a lot of what you see when you shop is one company's lineup in different metal levels.

CarrierPlansBronzeSilverGoldNetwork types
Avera Health Plans10343EPO 10
Sanford Health Plan8332PPO 8
WellmarkWellmark of South Dakota, Inc.7322EPO 7

Pennington plan counts from the CMS 2027 landscape file (county FIPS 46103, Rating Area 1). Bronze includes expanded bronze, and companies CMS lists under more than one legal issuer are grouped with the legal names underneath.

What it costs in Pennington County before any subsidy

These are the full monthly prices, before any premium tax credit, for the cheapest Pennington plan at each metal level. I show the sticker price because it is what your subsidy is subtracted from, and most people who enroll in Pennington pay less, often a lot less.

Monthly premium, full priceAge 21Age 40Age 60Couple, both 40Couple 40 + 2 kids
Lowest bronze$442$565$1,201$1,131$1,808
Lowest silver$625$799$1,698$1,599$2,556
Benchmark silver (second lowest)$627$801$1,702$1,603$2,563
Lowest gold$637$814$1,730$1,629$2,604

Benchmark silver is the second lowest of the 9 silver premiums listed for Pennington. The last column is two adults aged 40 plus two children.

What these numbers mean if you live in Pennington County

Pennington County is one of 32 of the 79 counties and parishes on my list where the metal levels are priced in the order you would expect. The cheapest gold at 40 is $814, which is $13 above the benchmark silver and $15 above the cheapest silver. In Pennington the extra gold premium pays for a lower deductible rather than coming free.

In Pennington County the benchmark is $236 above the cheapest bronze at age 40, and 20 of the other 78 counties and parishes I track have a wider one. That gap decides whether bronze can be free, because your subsidy is the $801 benchmark minus what the government expects you to pay from your income. A 40 year old in Pennington whose expected share is $236 a month or less would pay nothing for the cheapest bronze. At 60 the Pennington gap grows to $501 and at 21 it shrinks to $185, which is why older enrollees are the ones most likely to find a $0 plan.

Minnehaha County, around Sioux Falls, is the other South Dakota county I track. Compared with Minnehaha County, the Pennington benchmark is $235 higher at 40 and the cheapest bronze is $127 higher. Wellmark sells in Pennington and not in Minnehaha County.

Pennington plans by metal level, network and deductible

Metal levelPlans$0 deductibleDeductible range
Expanded Bronze90$6,500 to $8,500
Silver91$0 to $6,400
Gold71$0 to $2,500
Total252

By network type the 25 Pennington plans break down as 17 EPO and 8 PPO. Only 8 are PPOs, and every one of them comes from Sanford Health Plan. If seeing specialists without a referral matters to you, that narrows the Pennington shelf to one company. 2 plans in Pennington have a $0 medical deductible (1 gold and 1 silver). They cost more each month, but nothing has to be spent before the plan starts paying.

Every Pennington price on this page is before subsidies, and most enrollees pay less. For a 40 year old in Pennington the premium tax credit is measured against the $801 benchmark. Estimate your own subsidy, or send me your ZIP and I will run the Pennington numbers for you.

2027 plans for Pennington County

These are the 2027 plans and prices for Pennington County, from the CMS plan file released at the end of October 2026. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage in South Dakota runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and December 15 is the last day to pick a plan that starts January 1. If you already have a Pennington plan, compare before you let it renew, because your carrier and your benchmark may both have changed.

Questions about Pennington County coverage

How many health insurance companies sell marketplace plans in Pennington County, South Dakota?

For 2027, three carriers sell individual marketplace plans in Pennington County: Avera Health Plans, Sanford Health Plan and Wellmark. Together they offer 25 plans across the metal levels, according to the CMS plan landscape file.

What is the cheapest health insurance in Pennington County?

At full price before any subsidy, the cheapest bronze plan in Pennington County is $442 a month for a 21 year old, $565 at 40 and $1,201 at 60. In Pennington a couple both aged 40 pays $1,131 for the cheapest bronze, and two 40 year olds with two children pay $1,808. No catastrophic plan is sold in Pennington for 2027. Most people in Pennington who qualify for a premium tax credit pay less than these prices.

What is the benchmark silver plan premium in Pennington County for 2027?

The second lowest cost silver plan, the benchmark your subsidy is calculated from, is $801 a month for a 40 year old in Pennington County before subsidies. In Pennington it is $627 at age 21 and $1,702 at age 60, and the lowest silver plan is $799 at 40.

Did any insurance company leave Pennington County for 2027?

No. Every carrier that sold plans in Pennington County in 2026 also has plans there in the 2027 CMS plan file. Plans and networks inside each company can still change, so read your renewal notice.

Can I get a PPO or a $0 deductible plan in Pennington County?

Yes to both. 8 of the 25 plans in Pennington are PPOs, all from Sanford Health Plan, and 2 plans have a $0 medical deductible. The cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old in Pennington is $814 a month before subsidies.

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