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- 22.1%average approved 2027 increase for full price plans in South Carolina
- 1carrier leaving the South Carolina marketplace for 2027
- Nov 1when you can start comparing 2027 plans
What is happening in South Carolina
Molina is leaving the South Carolina marketplace at the end of 2026, and Oscar is entering. If you have a Molina marketplace plan, you will need to choose a new one for 2027. Your Molina plan keeps working through December 31, 2026.
The bigger change is cost. Carriers in South Carolina have an average approved increase of about 22.1% for 2027 for people who pay full price. Nationally, many carriers point to the same cause: the extra federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025, some healthier people left the marketplace, and the people who stayed cost more to cover on average.
2027 in South Carolina: who is selling and what it costs
Six companies sell marketplace plans in South Carolina for 2027: BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Ambetter from Absolute Total Care, Select Health, UnitedHealthcare, InStil Health and Oscar, which is new. One company is leaving. Molina sold marketplace plans in 2026 and exits the South Carolina marketplace at the end of the year. If you have Molina, you need to pick a new plan for 2027.
Prices rose more than first filed. Companies requested about 17.2% on average, and the final average for the individual market is about 22.1%, according to ACA Signups. Approved increases by company, before subsidies:
- Select Health: 14.2%
- Ambetter from Absolute Total Care: 21.8%
- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina: 22%
- InStil Health: 32%
- UnitedHealthcare: 38.7%
South Carolina uses HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15 for a January 1 start. The state has not expanded Medicaid. KFF estimates about 63,000 adults with low income fall into the gap where they qualify for neither Medicaid nor marketplace subsidies. This is a big marketplace. 587,567 South Carolinians picked a plan for 2026.
With increases this far apart, the plan you have now may no longer be the best price. Bring me your renewal and I will compare it with the other five.
Where carriers are leaving
The exits are real, just not in South Carolina. Cigna is leaving the individual market in all 11 states where it sells. Baylor Scott & White is leaving Texas, CareSource is leaving Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, Medica is leaving Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma, and several smaller carriers are leaving other states. If you moved recently or have family elsewhere, the all states overview lists them.
What the price change means for you
If you get a subsidy, the headline increase is not what you pay. Your subsidy is recalculated on your estimated 2027 income, and it usually absorbs much of a price increase. Updating your income estimate matters more than the rate filing.
If you do not get a subsidy, you feel the full increase. This is where it pays to compare more than one kind of coverage. Private major medical plans are priced differently from ACA plans, and for many people who pay full price they can cost less for similar or better coverage. I compare both, side by side, so you can see the real numbers for your household.
The practical point: if you do nothing, most plans renew automatically at the new 2027 price. Automatic renewal does not check whether a different plan now costs less or fits your doctors better. That check takes a few minutes.
The dates that matter
- Fall 2026Renewal notices arrive with your 2027 price. Read it, even if you plan to keep your plan.
- November 1, 2026Open enrollment opens for 2027 coverage. You can compare and choose from this date.
- December 15, 2026Deadline to pick a plan that starts January 1, 2027.
- January 15, 2027Open enrollment closes. After this you generally need a qualifying life event to change plans.
What to do, in order
Read your renewal notice
It shows your 2027 premium and any plan changes. Compare it with what you pay today.
Write down your doctors and your prescriptions
The physicians you want to keep and the exact drugs with dosages. Networks and drug lists change from year to year even when the carrier stays.
Re-estimate your income for 2027
Your subsidy is based on your estimated income for the year ahead. If it changed, your real cost changes with it.
Compare before December 15
Compare on total cost, meaning premium plus deductible plus what you expect to use, and include private options if you pay full price.
Common questions
Is my health insurance company leaving South Carolina in 2027?
Molina is leaving the South Carolina marketplace for 2027. If you receive a notice that your specific plan is being discontinued, keep it, because it can qualify you for a special enrollment period.
Why is my premium going up for 2027?
Carriers in South Carolina have an average approved increase of about 22.1%. Rising medical costs and the end of the extra federal subsidies after 2025 are the main reasons carriers give. If you get a subsidy, your net cost depends on your 2027 income.
Do I have to use a broker?
No. You can enroll yourself at HealthCare.gov at no cost. A licensed broker also costs you nothing, because brokers are paid by the carriers and the premium is identical either way. A broker can also show you private plans that are not sold on the marketplace.