Medicare in Brookings · Brookings County, South Dakota · Plan Year 2026
2026 Medicare Plans in Brookings, SD
Medicare Advantage plan availability is set at the county level, so Brookings residents choose from the Brookings County lineup: 12 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, 7 with a $0 premium, and 8% rated CMS 4★ or higher. Brookings itself is home to 23,710 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
Brookings by the numbers
Brookings at a glance — and the Brookings 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 Brookings's plan list is really Brookings 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 Brookings address in Brookings 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:
Brookings County, SD: every 2026 plan, premium & rating →
A university town (South Dakota State) with one of the state's youngest median ages — but Brookings County retirees still get one of SD's deepest plan lineups.
What Brookings County neighbors actually chose
Most-enrolled Medicare Advantage plans available in Brookings
County-level CMS enrollment facts, not a recommendation — the right plan depends on your doctors, drugs, and budget.
- Blue Medicare Advantage Enhanced PPO (PPO) (PPO) — 1,118 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Select (PPO) (PPO) — 482 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Value (PPO) (PPO) — 325 county enrollees
- Medica Advantage Preferred (PPO) (PPO) — 180 county enrollees
- Align ChoicePlus (PPO) (PPO) — 93 county enrollees
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Enrollment by State/County/Contract (counts under 11 suppressed by CMS).
Quality, in CMS's own numbers
How Brookings's available plans are rated
| CMS rating | Plans | % of Brookings County plans |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5★ | 1 | 8% |
| 3.5★ | 11 | 92% |
The average CMS rating across the 12 plans available to Brookings residents is 3.58. Per-plan ratings, premiums, and out-of-pocket maximums are in the full Brookings County tables.
Hospitals serving Brookings (Brookings County)
- BROOKINGS HEALTH SYSTEM — Brookings · CMS 4★ overall hospital rating
See your Brookings plans now
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When Brookings 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.
Brookings Medicare questions, answered
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Brookings, SD for 2026?
Medicare Advantage service areas are approved by CMS at the county level, so Brookings residents choose from the Brookings County lineup: 12 standard Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, 7 of them with a $0 Part C premium. Another 6 Special Needs Plans serve residents who qualify.
Why does Brookings use Brookings 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 Brookings address inside Brookings 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 Brookings County Complete Guide.
What does a Medicare Advantage plan cost in Brookings for 2026?
Across the 12 plans sold in Brookings County, the average Part C premium is $29.49/month and 7 plans charge $0. The average in-network out-of-pocket maximum is $5,529.17 (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 Brookings?
Big Sioux Benefits works with Brookings 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 Brookings 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 Brookings County — because CMS defines Medicare Advantage service areas by county, they apply to every Brookings 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
- Brookings 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 Brookings
Free, no pressure — we compare the plans we offer against your doctors, drugs, and budget.