Medicare in Brown County, South Dakota · Plan Year 2026

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

Brown County has 1 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 — 1 with a $0 premium — serving a county where CMS counts 8,470 Medicare beneficiaries. 100% 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 Brown County

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

1. AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx SI-MA2 (PPO) (PPO) — 57 enrollees

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

A South Dakota specialty

Medicare Cost plans in Brown 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. Brown County has 8 Cost plans for 2026 from Medica with 2,204 county enrollees. The most-enrolled Cost plan locally is Medica Prime Solution Standard (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 Brown County adults

The right coverage depends on your health. CDC PLACES model-based prevalence for Brown County (37,733 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 Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown County

2026 plans in the tables above are sold county-wide. That includes residents of Aberdeen, Bath, Bath Corner, Claremont, Columbia, Ferney, Frederick, Groton, Hecla, Hutterville Colony, Mansfield, Prairiewood Village, Stratford, Verdon, and all other Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown 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.