Home to multiple national parks and monuments, South Dakota has benefited from a growing tourism industry. South Dakota is the 17th most expansive state, but it’s also the fifth least populated. The Mount Rushmore State also enjoys fertile soil and vast grasslands, making agriculture essential to the state’s economy. South Dakotans are reliably Republican when it comes to presidential elections – the state has only supported Democratic candidates four times since it entered the Union in 1889. During the Supreme Court battle over the Affordable Care Act, South Dakota was a leader in challenging the law and rejected Medicaid expansion.
Enrollment through the Years
South Dakotans use the federal marketplace to sign up for Obamacare. Despite the state’s opposition to the ACA, enrollment has steadily increased from 2015 to 2017. Some speculated that the increase in enrollees may be attributed to off-exchange carriers exiting the individual market.
- 21,393 South Dakotans enrolled in 2015
- 25,999 South Dakotans enrolled in 2016
- 29,622 South Dakotans enrolled in 2017
In 2017, 9,439 South Dakotans signed up for health insurance through the federal marketplace, with 20,183 returning from last year. Young adults between the ages of 18-34 are the largest insured group.
Cost Assistance
Since South Dakota has not accepted funding to expand Medicaid, eligibility rules for the program remain the same as they were before the ACA was enacted. Medicaid assistance is available for low-income families, pregnant women and children through the CHIP program.
Those who select a marketplace plan may be eligible for a subsidy or cost-sharing reduction, depending on income. Federal subsidies to reduce premiums are available to South Dakotans earning between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Cost-sharing reductions, which offset out-of-pocket healthcare costs, are available to those earning up to 250 percent of the poverty level. In 2017, 90 percent of those enrolled in Obamacare plans in South Dakota received subsidies. Cost-sharing reductions were awarded to 58 percent of enrollees.
Carrier Participation & Plan Availability
Two carriers are available for marketplace plans in South Dakota in 2017, and that number is expected to remain the same in 2018. The marketplace offered 1,200 plans to residents in 2017. Plans are available in multiple degrees of coverage and vary by county.
Note: The information provided on this page is constantly being updated with the latest statistical data available. Check back soon for updates.
