Medicare in Lake County, South Dakota · Plan Year 2026

Medicare Advantage Plans in Lake County, SD: Your Complete 2026 Guide

Lake County has 8 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 — 6 with a $0 premium — serving a county where CMS counts 2,818 Medicare beneficiaries. 13% of plans are rated 4 stars or higher by CMS. Residents can also choose from 8 Medicare Cost plans, a South Dakota specialty. Below is the real data — every plan, premium, and rating — plus a live tool for your ZIP.

Page last revised: 2026-07-19 · Plan and enrollment data refreshed: 2026-07-19 · Plan year 2026

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What neighbors actually chose

Most-enrolled Medicare Advantage plans in Lake County

Enrollment counts are CMS facts, not our recommendation — the right plan depends on your doctors, drugs, and budget.

1. Blue Medicare Advantage Enhanced PPO (PPO) (PPO) — 150 enrollees
2. Align ChoicePlus (PPO) (PPO) — 42 enrollees
3. Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) (PPO) — 32 enrollees
4. AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx SI-MA2 (PPO) (PPO) — 23 enrollees
5. Aetna Medicare Enhanced Extra (PPO) (PPO) — 13 enrollees

Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Enrollment by State/County/Contract (counts under 11 suppressed by CMS).

A South Dakota specialty

Medicare Cost plans in Lake County

South Dakota is one of the few states where Medicare Cost plans are still common. They combine plan benefits with a safety valve: outside the network, care simply falls back to Original Medicare rates. Lake County has 8 Cost plans for 2026 from Medica with 585 county enrollees. The most-enrolled Cost plan locally is Medica Prime Solution Core (Cost).

Cost plans are quoted person-by-person — ask us to compare them against the Medicare Advantage table above for your situation.

Health profile · why plan choice matters here

Chronic conditions among Lake County adults

The right coverage depends on your health. CDC PLACES model-based prevalence for Lake County (11,031 residents) — a reason to check each plan's drug formulary and specialist network before enrolling:

Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County (crude prevalence).

How and when to enroll in Lake County

When you can sign up

• Initial Enrollment Period — the 7-month window around your 65th birthday (3 before, your birthday month, 3 after). 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.

Ways to enroll

• With a licensed local agent (free) — Big Sioux Benefits · (605) 555-0142 · Mon–Fri 8am–6pm CT. We compare the plans we offer in Lake County against your doctors and drugs.
• Directly with a plan's carrier — using the CMS plan ID from the tables above.
• Through Medicare.gov — the federal plan finder and enrollment portal.

Plan availability in Lake County

2026 plans in the tables above are sold county-wide. That includes residents of Brant Lake, Brant Lake South, Chester, Graceville Colony, Lake Madison, Madison, Nunda, Ramona, Rustic Acres Colony, Wentworth, Winfred, and all other Lake County communities. To enroll in Medicare Advantage or a Cost plan you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B and live in the plan's service area.

Sources, citations, and methodology

• 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
• CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County (crude prevalence) — accessed 2026-07-19
• CMS Hospital Compare — Overall Star Ratings — accessed 2026-07-19
• US Census Bureau — Places by County (2020) — accessed 2026-07-19

Methodology: plan counts, premiums, out-of-pocket maximums, Part D deductibles, and star ratings are computed from the CMS PY2026 Landscape source files for Lake County, South Dakota. Headline "average premium" and "$0 premium" figures use the Part C premium; the consolidated Part C + D premium is reported separately. Special Needs Plans (D-SNP, I-SNP) and Medicare Cost plans are excluded from Medicare Advantage averages and shown separately. County enrollment sums CMS contract-level enrollment for Lake County; CMS suppresses counts under 11, so totals are conservative. Health prevalence figures are CDC PLACES model-based estimates. Content is prepared by the Big Sioux Benefits Data Desk and reviewed for accuracy 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.

Comparing Lake County to the rest of South Dakota

Plans are approved county by county, so the list above is not the state's list. For the statewide picture — every plan sold in South Dakota, carrier enrollment, Medicare Cost plans, star-rating spread, and the counties with no Advantage plan at all — see the South Dakota Medicare guide (2026) → or browse all 66 county guides.