South Carolina open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · South Carolina

South Carolina Open Enrollment 2027 for People Between Jobs

Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker

Short answer

For people between jobs in South Carolina, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, and December 15 is the date to choose by for a January 1 start. If you are healthy, a private, medically underwritten plan is another route that ignores the calendar: if approved, it can start the first of any month, right after your job coverage ends.

What 2027 looks like for you

South Carolina's average 2027 rate change is 22.1% (finalized). The details are on the South Carolina 2027 premium increase page.

Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day special enrollment period, and open enrollment runs at the same time this fall, so most people between jobs have two doors open at once. Federal COBRA, where it applies, lasts up to 18 months at up to 102% of the full premium. Any Marketplace subsidy depends on your 2027 household income, with the line at $63,840 for one person and $86,560 for two.

South Carolina this year

South Carolina individual buyers face an approved 22.1 percent average for 2027, while small-group plans rise only about 8.9 percent, a spread between the two markets few states match. Six insurers filed. For hospitality workers on the Grand Strand and in Charleston, automotive-supplier contractors in the Upstate and port contractors, that gap means an old group plan can look like a bargain next to individual coverage. South Carolina requires insured group plans to provide continuation for six months beyond the month coverage stops, for anyone covered at least six months, who pays the full group premium.

State continuation in South Carolina: South Carolina requires insured group plans to offer continuation for the rest of the month coverage ends plus six months, after at least six months of coverage, at the full group premium.

One thing to do before you choose

If you are about to leave a South Carolina job rather than already gone, check whether you will have six months on the group plan; state continuation depends on it. Then compare HealthCare.gov options in your county with realistic 2027 income. A couple under $86,560 may see a subsidy that softens the 22 percent increase, which changes whether the group plan is worth continuing.

Your checklist

The exact date your job coverage ends, in writing
Your COBRA notice and its election deadline
Severance and final pay in your 2027 income estimate
A private quote while COBRA is still in reserve

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

Healthy and between roles: priced on age, ZIP code and health, with COBRA kept in reserve. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

Ongoing treatment, or a year of lower income: HealthCare.gov must accept you within the 60-day window or during open enrollment.

Compare South Carolina plans this open enrollment

Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.

Get a quote Book a call (786) 218-2384

About your broker

Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307), licensed in 31 states including South Carolina. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee; independent, not HealthCare.gov or any government agency.

Questions

When is the 2027 open enrollment deadline in South Carolina?

January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Choose by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1; plans picked after that start February 1.

Why does South Carolina continuation look cheaper than a Marketplace plan this year?

South Carolina group premiums rose about 8.9 percent for 2027 while individual premiums rose about 22.1 percent, so the group rate you would pay can compare well. It lasts only six months beyond the month your coverage ends, though, and a subsidy may change the comparison.

Can I get a private plan in South Carolina after open enrollment closes?

Yes. You can apply in any month and, if approved, a private plan can start the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health answers.

More for South Carolina

Official sources: HealthCare.gov, the federal Marketplace; HealthCare.gov: special enrollment periods. FC Insurance Solutions is an independent, licensed brokerage and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker in South Carolina and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.