Medicare in Box Elder · Pennington County, South Dakota · Plan Year 2026
2026 Medicare Plans in Box Elder, SD
Medicare Advantage plan availability is set at the county level, so Box Elder residents choose from the Pennington County lineup: 8 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, 3 with a $0 premium, and 13% rated CMS 4★ or higher. Box Elder itself is home to 12,457 residents (Census ACS 2023). Below: the city profile, the county's real CMS numbers, and a live tool for your ZIP.
Page last revised: 2026-07-19 · CMS plan data refreshed: 2026-07-19 · Census data retrieved: 2026-08-18
Box Elder by the numbers
Box Elder at a glance — and the Pennington County Medicare market it belongs to
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023), places — retrieved 2026-08-18 · CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Landscape (PY2026) · CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment (county).
Why Box Elder's plan list is really Pennington County's plan list
CMS approves and prices Medicare Advantage, Cost, and Part D plans county by county — there is no such thing as a city-level plan menu. Every Box Elder address in Pennington County sees the same 2026 lineup as the rest of the county, and moving one county over can change the list entirely. That is why the deep data — every plan, premium, out-of-pocket maximum, star rating, and enrollment count — lives on our county Complete Guide:
Pennington County, SD: every 2026 plan, premium & rating →
Home to Ellsworth Air Force Base — many Box Elder retirees coordinate Medicare with TRICARE For Life or VA benefits, which changes which plan design makes sense.
What Pennington County neighbors actually chose
Most-enrolled Medicare Advantage plans available in Box Elder
County-level CMS enrollment facts, not a recommendation — the right plan depends on your doctors, drugs, and budget.
- Medica Advantage Select (PPO) (PPO) — 2,981 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Value (PPO) (PPO) — 1,371 county enrollees
- Blue Medicare Advantage Enhanced PPO (PPO) (PPO) — 1,195 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Preferred (PPO) (PPO) — 638 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Solution H8889-009 (PPO) (PPO) — 539 county enrollees
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Enrollment by State/County/Contract (counts under 11 suppressed by CMS).
Quality, in CMS's own numbers
How Box Elder's available plans are rated
| CMS rating | Plans | % of Pennington County plans |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5★ | 1 | 13% |
| 3.5★ | 7 | 88% |
The average CMS rating across the 8 plans available to Box Elder residents is 3.63. Per-plan ratings, premiums, and out-of-pocket maximums are in the full Pennington County tables.
Hospitals serving Box Elder (Pennington County)
- MONUMENT HEALTH RAPID CITY HOSPITAL — Rapid City · CMS 3★ overall hospital rating
- BLACK HILLS SURGICAL HOSPITAL LLC — Rapid City · not yet rated by CMS
- SAME DAY SURGERY CENTER LLC — Rapid City · not yet rated by CMS
See your Box Elder plans now
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When Box Elder residents can enroll
- Initial Enrollment Period — the 7-month window around your 65th birthday. Medicare 101 →
- Annual Enrollment Period — October 15 to December 7 each year, for 2027 coverage decisions.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment — January 1 to March 31, one switch allowed if you already have an MA plan.
- Special Enrollment Periods — after life events like moving counties, losing employer coverage, or qualifying for Extra Help.
Thinking about a Medigap supplement instead? Your 6-month Medigap open enrollment window starts with Part B — the details, including South Dakota's own rules, are in our South Dakota Medigap guide and Medicare answers.
Box Elder Medicare questions, answered
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Box Elder, SD for 2026?
Medicare Advantage service areas are approved by CMS at the county level, so Box Elder residents choose from the Pennington County lineup: 8 standard Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, 3 of them with a $0 Part C premium. Another 4 Special Needs Plans serve residents who qualify.
Why does Box Elder use Pennington County's Medicare plan list?
Because CMS approves and prices Medicare Advantage, Cost, and Part D plans county by county, not city by city. Every Box Elder address inside Pennington County sees the same 2026 plan menu as the rest of the county — that's a CMS rule, not an agency choice. The full county data lives on our Pennington County Complete Guide.
What does a Medicare Advantage plan cost in Box Elder for 2026?
Across the 8 plans sold in Pennington County, the average Part C premium is $48.33/month and 3 plans charge $0. The average in-network out-of-pocket maximum is $5,618.75 (highest: $6,750). You still pay your Part B premium with any plan, and the right plan depends on your doctors and drug list, not the premium alone.
Where can I get free Medicare help in Box Elder?
Big Sioux Benefits works with Box Elder residents by phone and video (and in person across the Sioux Falls area) — free, because licensed agents are paid by carriers, not by you. For all options beyond the plans we offer, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or SHIINE, South Dakota's free SHIP counseling program.
Sources, citations, and methodology
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2023), tables B01003 (population), B01002 (median age), B19013 (median household income), B25003 (housing tenure) — incorporated places, South Dakota — retrieved 2026-08-18
- CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Landscape (PY2026) — accessed 2026-07-19
- CMS Medicare Part C & D Star Ratings (2026) — accessed 2026-07-19
- CMS Medicare Advantage Enrollment by State/County/Contract — accessed 2026-07-19
- CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment (county) — accessed 2026-07-19
- CMS Hospital Compare — Overall Star Ratings — accessed 2026-07-19
Methodology: city population, median age, median household income, and homeownership are U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023) for Box Elder city, South Dakota. All plan counts, premiums, out-of-pocket maximums, star ratings, and enrollment figures are county-level facts computed from the CMS PY2026 Landscape source files for Pennington County — because CMS defines Medicare Advantage service areas by county, they apply to every Box Elder address in the county. Content is prepared by the Big Sioux Benefits Data Desk and reviewed against the cited files; plan details change — verify with a licensed agent before enrolling.
Big Sioux Benefits is a licensed insurance agency, not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE for all options.
Keep exploring
- Pennington County, SD Complete Guide → — every 2026 plan, premium, and rating behind this page.
- South Dakota statewide Medicare guide (2026) — all plans, carriers, and the counties with none.
- South Dakota Medigap (Medicare Supplement) guide — the other half of the decision.
- All areas we serve — every SD county and city guide.
Talk to a licensed Medicare advisor who knows Box Elder
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