Health insurance plans in Pennington County, South Dakota (2026)

• 3carriers selling 2026 marketplace plans in Pennington County
• 28plans on the Pennington shelf, from 9 bronze to 8 gold
• $774benchmark silver for a 40 year old in Pennington, full price per month

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 in 24 states, 62 have more carriers than Pennington. Avera Health Plans alone accounts for 12 of the 28 plans in Pennington, 43 percent of the shelf, so a lot of what you see when you shop is one company's lineup in different metal levels.

Pennington plan counts from the CMS 2026 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.

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

The gold row is the surprise in Pennington County. The cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old, $740 a month, is $21 cheaper than the cheapest silver plan at $761. That happens because South Dakota carriers load the cost of the extra silver discounts into silver premiums. If your income is too high for those discounts, silver is the worst value on the Pennington shelf, and a gold deductible here tops out at $2,000.

In Pennington County the benchmark is $234 above the cheapest bronze at age 40, and 16 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 $774 benchmark minus what the government expects you to pay from your income. A 40 year old in Pennington whose expected share is $234 a month or less would pay nothing for the cheapest bronze. At 60 the Pennington gap grows to $497 and at 21 it shrinks to $183, 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 $260 higher at 40 and the cheapest bronze is $133 higher. Wellmark sells in Pennington and not in Minnehaha County.

Pennington plans by metal level, network and deductible

By network type the 28 Pennington plans break down as 21 PPO and 7 EPO. PPOs are the majority here, 21 of the 28, and they come from Avera Health Plans and Sanford Health Plan, so a plan that lets you see specialists without a referral is easy to find in Pennington. 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.

2027 plans for Pennington County

These are the 2026 plans and prices for Pennington County. The 2027 plans and prices are published around November 1, 2026, and I will update this page with the new Pennington numbers then. 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.

Questions about Pennington County coverage

More for Pennington County residents

• Health insurance brokers in South Dakota, how to choose one and what it costs
• Every 2027 carrier change in South Dakota
• How Pennington compares with the other 78 counties and parishes I track
• Estimate a Pennington subsidy