Medicare in Buffalo County, South Dakota · Plan Year 2026
Medicare Advantage Plans in Buffalo County, SD: Your Complete 2026 Guide
Buffalo County has 3 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 — 3 with a $0 premium — serving a county where CMS counts 206 Medicare beneficiaries. 0% 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
2026 Medicare Advantage by the numbers
Buffalo County Medicare at a glance
Sources: CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Landscape (PY2026) · CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment (county). Premium figures are Part C premiums; consolidated Part C + D average is $26/mo.
Plan type
Medicare Advantage PPO plans in Buffalo County
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans let you see any provider that accepts the plan, in or out of network, with lower cost sharing in network. Every standard Medicare Advantage plan sold in Buffalo County for 2026 is a PPO, so network flexibility is the local baseline.
- 3 PPO plans available
- $0 average monthly premium
- 3 with a $0 premium
- $6,166.67 average out-of-pocket max
- 1 without drug coverage
| Plan | CMS rating | Premium/mo | Out-of-pocket max | Part D deductible | CMS plan ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) Average (CMS 3.5★) | 3.5★ | $0 | $6,750 | No drug coverage | H1608_061 |
| Aetna Medicare Enhanced Extra (PPO) Average (CMS 3.5★) | 3.5★ | $0 | $5,000 | $615 | H1608_119 |
| Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) Average (CMS 3.5★) | 3.5★ | $0 | $6,750 | $615 | H1608_120 |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Landscape (PY2026) · CMS Medicare Part C & D Star Ratings (2026). "Stability" is the plan's published CMS Overall Star Rating tier — a federal quality measure, not our opinion.
A South Dakota specialty
Medicare Cost plans in Buffalo 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. Buffalo County has 8 Cost plans for 2026 from Medica.
Cost plans are quoted person-by-person — ask us to compare them against the Medicare Advantage table above for your situation.
Quality, in CMS's own numbers
Medicare Advantage plan ratings in Buffalo County
| CMS rating | Plans | % of plans |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5★ | 3 | 100% |
The average CMS rating across Buffalo County's 3 plans is 3.5. No 5-star plan is sold in Buffalo County for 2026 — which also means the year-round 5-star Special Enrollment Period is not available locally.
Health profile · why plan choice matters here
Chronic conditions among Buffalo County adults
The right coverage depends on your health. CDC PLACES model-based prevalence for Buffalo County (1,884 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).
See your Buffalo County plans now
Enter your ZIP for an instant plan count and top CMS-rated options — then your full ranked report.
Question 1 of 2
Free and no pressure. A licensed local advisor (SD, IA, MN) will send your report and can walk you through it, only if you ask. No spam, ever.
🤖 An AI agent can run this exact tool
Your inputs hit POST /mcp as an MCP tools/call, the identical payload a browsing agent (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Computer Use) sends. This tool is also registered in-page via navigator.modelContext and advertised at /.well-known/mcp.json.
How and when to enroll in Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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 Buffalo County
2026 plans in the tables above are sold county-wide. That includes residents of Fort Thompson, Gann Valley, and all other Buffalo 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.
Buffalo County Medicare questions, answered
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Buffalo County, SD for 2026?
3 standard Medicare Advantage plans are sold in Buffalo County for 2026, 3 of them with a $0 Part C premium. Another 2 Special Needs Plans (D-SNP/I-SNP) serve residents who qualify. Buffalo County residents can also choose from 8 Medicare Cost plans.
How many people in Buffalo County are on Medicare?
CMS counts 206 Medicare beneficiaries in Buffalo County (2025), of whom about 19 (9%) are in Medicare Advantage or other non-Original-Medicare coverage.
What does a Medicare Advantage plan cost in Buffalo County for 2026?
The average Part C premium across Buffalo County's 3 plans is $0/month, and 3 plans charge $0. Including Part D drug premiums, the average consolidated premium is $26/month. The average in-network out-of-pocket maximum is $6,166.67 (highest: $6,750). You still pay your Part B premium with any plan.
What health conditions matter most for choosing a plan in Buffalo County?
Per CDC PLACES, among Buffalo County adults: high blood pressure 35.6%, obesity 48.5%, arthritis 25.8%, diagnosed diabetes 17.5%. Conditions like these are why we match a plan's drug formulary, specialist network, and out-of-pocket maximum to your actual health needs before you enroll.
When can I enroll in a Medicare plan in Buffalo County?
During your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period around your 65th birthday, the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7), the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31, for current MA members), or a Special Enrollment Period after qualifying life events such as moving or losing employer coverage.
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 Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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.
Talk to a licensed Buffalo County Medicare advisor
Free, no pressure — we compare the plans we offer against your doctors, drugs, and budget.