While the government manages Original Medicare, private insurance companies sell these Medicare Supplement Plans. Most often, these plans will pay for at least your Medicare Part A deductible and your 20% Part B coinsurance. And the good thing is that you’ll always know exactly what to expect with these plans. Since the government regulates them. In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that all Medicare Supplement Plans with the same letter name provide the same coverage throughout the country.
Jump To:
That means you can get the same benefits from each Medicare Supplement Plan offered by any insurance provider, but your premiums may vary widely depending on who you go with. So, it’s important to shop around. Read our guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in South Dakota as your first step in comparing your options. Then speak to an EZ agent to find the exact right plan and insurer for you.
South Dakota Medicare Supplement Plans
You should enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan if you need extra coverage beyond what you’d get from Original Medicare. Such as help with the 20% coinsurance you’ll have to pay every time you use Medicare Part B services.
If you are a resident of South Dakota and are in need of a Medicare Supplement Plan, you should know that ten distinct standardized plans are available. Each of which is designated by a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). All insurance companies offering Medicare Supplement Plans are obligated to provide Plan A to their customers. Plans C and F are only available to those who first qualified for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.
You’ll have to pay a monthly premium to your insurance company for one of these plans. But in exchange, a sizable portion of your out-of-pocket medical expenses will be covered. Monthly premiums in South Dakota can range from $48 to $434. Depending on the type of coverage you choose and your location.
There are so many options to consider that it can be overwhelming to try and keep track of them all. We have outlined the specifics of each South Dakota plan to get you started.
Plan A
Plan A is the most basic Medicare Supplement Plan available. Basic as it may be, it covers what many consider to be the single most important thing that Medicare Supplement Plans can cover: the 20% of outpatient treatments that Original Medicare Part B requires you to pay for. It also covers a few other necessary major expenses, as outlined below.
All insurance companies offering Medicare Supplement Plans are obligated to provide Plan A, but in some states insurers are not required to provide it to Medicare disability recipients under the age of 65.
In South Dakota, Plan A ranges in price from $91 to $334 per month.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B covers all the basics that Plan A does, including:
- Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs – Part A only fully covers your first 60 days of inpatient hospital stays in a benefit period, after that you are required to pay a portion of your bills for each day after your initial 60 days. Days 61-90 have a coinsurance of $400 a day. If your stay is between 91 and 150 days, and you use your Lifetime Reserve days, your coinsurance will be $800 a day. Plan B covers 100% of these costs.
- Medicare Part B coinsurance or copay – You’ll typically have to pay Medicare Part B coinsurance for doctor visits and other outpatient care. That means Medicare Part B pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services, leaving you to pay the remaining 20%. Plan B covers 100% of this.
- First 3 pints of blood – Original Medicare only pays for the fourth and subsequent pints of blood if you need blood during treatment. Plan B will pay for the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care and coinsurance – Hospice care is for patients who are nearing the end of their lives. These services are covered by Medicare, but copayments are required. These copayments include $5 for each symptom and pain relief medication prescription, as well as 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient assisted living. Plan B covers all expenses related to hospice care.
While Plan B doesn’t cover everything, it is less basic than Plan A. Since it also covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductibles, which Plan A does not. Medicare Part A has a $1,600 deductible in 2023. And since this deductible applies for every 60 days spent in a hospital, it’s possible you’ll have to pay it more than once in a single year. That means having a plan that includes this benefit could be extremely useful.
Monthly Plan B premiums in South Dakota cost between $118 and $336.
Plan C
Not all Medicare recipients are eligible for this plan, but it is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans available. The only expenses you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket with this plan are Part B excess charges, or the difference between what a doctor who doesn’t accept Medicare assignment charges and what Medicare agrees to pay. These excess charges will be your responsibility with Plan C; only a select few Medicare Supplement Plans cover them.
But other than Part B excess charges, Plan C covers everything else, including your Parts A and B deductibles, as well as the 20% coinsurance you would otherwise have to pay for all outpatient care.
Part C covers all of the following:
- Part A hospital deductible and coinsurance
- Hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Blood (the first 3 pints)
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part A hospitalization
- Medicare Part B coinsurance and copayments
- Part B deductible
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part B coverage
Individuals who enrolled in Medicare after January 1, 2020 cannot purchase Plan C. You can keep Plan C if you had it before that time. And you may be able to purchase it if you became eligible before January 1, 2020, but didn’t enroll at that time.
Plan C can cost from $145 to $434 per month in South Dakota.
Plan D
Medicare Supplement Plan D covers the majority of out-of-pocket expenses related to Original Medicare, including:
- Part A hospital coinsurance and hospital costs up to an extra 365 days after Original Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Part B coinsurance
- First 3 pints of blood
- Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care coinsurance – After the 20th day of your stay as an inpatient in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare Part A requires you to pay coinsurance. Part A coinsurance for skilled nursing facility care is $200 per day in 2023.
- Part A deductible
- 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)
Plan D does not cover Medicare Part B deductibles or excess charges. In South Dakota, monthly Plan D premiums can cost between $109 and $352.
Plan F
As with Plan C, Medicare Supplement Plan F is limited in its availability, but is also extremely popular because of how much it covers. Your only out-of-pocket expense with this plan is the premium for Plan F, since all your other out-of-pocket expenses are covered by this policy.
The expenses covered include:
- Part A hospital deductible and coinsurance
- Hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Blood (the first 3 pints)
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part A hospitalization
- Medicare Part B 20% coinsurance and copayments
- Medicare-approved doctor’s office fees
- Part B deductible
- Medicare Part B excess charges
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part B coverage
Individuals who first became Medicare-eligible after January 1, 2020 will not be able to enroll in Plan F. Anyone who met Medicare’s eligibility requirements prior to 2020 can purchase one of these plans. Individuals who “grandfathered in” by purchasing Plan F prior to its cancellation can keep it indefinitely.
Plan F costs between $111 per month and $437 per month in South Dakota.
Plan G
If you like the sound of Plan F, but are not eligible to purchase one of those plans, look into Plan G. This plan covers almost everything that Plan F does, including:
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up
- Part A deductible
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Part B coinsurance or copayment
- Part B excess charges (if a provider is permitted to charge more than Medicare’s approved amount and does so)
- Blood transfusion (first 3 pints)
The only thing Plan G does not cover is the Medicare Part B deductible. The good news is that Plan G premiums in South Dakota range from $92 to $415 per month, making these plans a better deal than Plan F.
Plan K
Plan K helps reduce your out-of-pocket costs for Original Medicare, but it does not fill all the gaps in coverage. Until you reach your out-of-pocket maximum, you will be responsible for paying 50% of any covered medical expenses with Plan K.
The annual out-of-pocket maximum for Plan K is $6,620 (as of 2023). Once you spend that much in a given year, Medicare Supplement Plan K will cover the rest of your expenses for that year (until limit resets at the beginning of the year). Having a benefit like this can bring peace of mind if you worry about your medical bills spiraling out of control.
As for its other benefits, Plan K covers a portion of the following:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan K covers half of these costs, so you will be responsible for 50% of your 20% coinsurance. For example, if your doctor charges $100 for a service, Medicare will cover $80, Plan K will cover $10, and you will cover the remaining $10.
- First 3 pints of blood
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan K will pay for half of these costs.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan K pays half of the coinsurance for medical care in skilled nursing care facilities.
- Medicare Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay half of these deductibles, or $800. Plan K requires you to pay the Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 in 2023.
So, because Plan K only covers 50% of costs, you have to pay more out-of-pocket than with other plans. But because of its out-of-pocket maximum, you will never have to pay more than $6,620 a year.
In addition, even though Plan K pays for most expenses at a rate of 50%, it pays for all Medicare Part A coinsurance. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K covers in full.
Because Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs, its monthly premiums in South Dakota are lower than those of most other plans, ranging from $48 to $172.
Plan L
Like Plan K, Medicare Supplement Plan L covers most, but not all, costs related to Original Medicare, but it covers them at a higher percentage. It also has a lower out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023) than Plan K. Once you’ve paid this much in covered expenses for the year, your insurance company will pay the rest of your medical bills.
Plan L covers all Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs in full. It also covers a portion of:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan L covers 75% of your Part B coinsurance.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Plan L will cover 75% of the cost of the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care copayments – Plan L pays 75% of your Part A copays for hospice care.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan L pays 75% of the $200 per day (after the 20th day of your stay) coinsurance for medical care in skilled nursing care facilities.
- Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan L will cover 75% of your Part A deductibles for each 60-day benefit period. You must still meet your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 per year in 2023, if you choose Plan L.
Plan L premiums are also competitive, costing between $63 and $257 a month in South Dakota.
Plan M
Similarly to Plans K and L, Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority, but not all, costs associated with Original Medicare. It does, though, cover more expenses in full than either Plan K or Plan L do.
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers all coinsurance and hospital costs associated with Medicare Part A. It also covers:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan M pays your Part B coinsurance and/or copayments in full.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Medicare Supplement Plan M will cover the first three pints of blood in full.
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan M will cover all of your hospice care coinsurance and copays in full.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan M covers the entire cost of Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
- Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan M will cover half of your Medicare Part A deductible. If you have Plan M, you will have to pay half of the $1,600 (or $800) deductible rather than the full $1,600.
Medicare Supplement Plan M premiums cost between $109 and $244 a month in South Dakota.
Plan N
Plan N fills almost all the coverage gaps in Original Medicare. The only things you’ll need to pay with Plan N are the Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and any Medicare Part B excess charges, as well as some copayments for Medicare Part B services (which most other plans do not have).
This means that Medicare Supplement Plan N covers the following:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan N will cover your Part B coinsurance costs in full, with the exception of a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits. For emergency room visits that do not result in an inpatient admission, a second copayment of up to $50 may be required.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Medicare Supplement Plan N will cover the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan N pays your hospice care coinsurance and copayments in full.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Your skilled nursing facility coinsurance will be fully covered by Medicare Supplement Plan N.
- Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan N pays your $1,600 deductible in full for each 60-day benefit period.
- Foreign travel emergency care – Original Medicare typically does not cover medical care received outside of the United States. If you need emergency care while traveling outside of the United States, Medicare Supplement Plan N will cover 80% of the costs of qualified emergency medical care.
Plan N premium prices range from $73 to $303 a month in South Dakota.
When To Enroll
When it comes to Medicare Supplement Plans, there is no set time each year when you can sign up. Instead, federal regulations have established a one-time six-month period for each individual. During which Medicare Supplement Plan coverage is guaranteed-issue. Meaning that insurance companies cannot deny you or charge you more for coverage because of your health. This personal Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period begins when you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B and lasts for six months, as noted above.
If you are under 65 and eligible for Medicare due to a disability, ALS, or end-stage renal disease, the rules surrounding Medicare Supplement Plans are often different. Those under the age of 65 are not guaranteed access to Medicare Supplement Plans under federal law. But the vast majority of states do have laws in place to guarantee at least some access to Medicare Supplement Plans for disabled Medicare beneficiaries.
In South Dakota, if you are under 65 and eligible for Medicare, you will be given the same Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period and the same guaranteed-issue rights as those who are receiving Medicare due to their age. In addition, state regulations prohibit Medicare Supplement insurers from charging enrollees under 65 more than they charge enrollees over age 65.
How To Choose
When it comes to Medicare coverage, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Speak to an EZ agent who can explain everything to you and give you guidance when it’s time to sign up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, comparing South Dakota Medicare Supplement Plans, or simply weighing your options. Our agents work with the best insurance companies in the country. They can provide you with a free comparison of all available plans in your area. We will go over your medical and financial needs with you and help you find a plan that works for you. To get started, simply enter your zip code in the bar below or give one of our licensed agents a call at 877-670-3602.
