MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Navigators in South Dakota are on call to help people seeking health insurance during open enrollment. Open enrollment is the time for people to sign up for 2025 health plans through the federal insurance marketplace, from November 1st through January 15th. And for people who get coverage through Medicare, open enrollment is now through December 7th. Penny Kelley with the Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas says four out of five people get coverage for ten dollars per month or less through the insurance Marketplace.

“Most health plans cover preventative services like shots, screening tests, and that’s at no additional cost as long as they’re provided by a doctor or provider in their plan. And we found that this really helps people stay healthy without worrying about all the extra expenses.”

In 2022, nearly 70-thousand South Dakotans were uninsured, or 8-percent of the population, which is on par with the national rate, according to K-F-F. Those looking for coverage through the Marketplace can get help from a navigator at ‘getcoveredsouthdakota.org.

For people enrolled in Medicare, open enrollment means rethinking your supplemental plan – that covers what Medicare does not. Doctor Rhonda Randall with UnitedHealthCare notes that personal circumstances can change, and plans can change, too. She says it’s worth looking over your plan, even if you aren’t sure you need to make changes.

“A lot can change in a year. So, you want to consider: Are your current benefit plans still meeting your healthcare needs and your budget needs?”

Randall suggests shoppers pay attention to not only monthly premiums, but also in-network providers and medications, as well as specialty benefits in Medicare Advantage plans, like dental and mental health coverage. Websites can help explain unclear terms and concepts, including ‘medicaremadeclear.com’ and ‘justplainclear.com.’