South Carolina open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · South Carolina

South Carolina Open Enrollment 2027 for Marketplace Renewals

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

Short answer

For people renewing a Marketplace plan 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. Before you let the renewal go through, know that a private, medically underwritten plan is another option: if approved, it can start the first of any month.

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.

Unless you act, HealthCare.gov renews most enrollees into the same plan, or a similar one if yours is gone, at the 2027 price. Your renewal notice shows the new premium, deductible and any change in subsidy. Plans picked during open enrollment replace the renewal, and the 2027 out-of-pocket cap rises to $12,000 for one person.

South Carolina this year

South Carolina's finalized 2027 average increase is about 22.1 percent across six insurers, among the larger jumps on my list. Marketplace plans here often build their network around one regional hospital system, which matters if you live in Columbia but want care in Charleston, or live on the Grand Strand and travel to the Upstate for a specialist. The people most exposed are those above the subsidy range: real estate agents, builders, Upstate automotive-supplier contractors and early retirees under 65 on the coast. For one person the line is $63,840. South Carolinians use HealthCare.gov; a December 15 choice keeps coverage continuous into January.

One thing to do before you choose

With six insurers and a 22.1 percent average jump, do not take the renewal at face value. Shop at least one other insurer at the same metal level and one plan a level down. Check which hospital system each is built around. If you are an early retiree who is healthy and above the line, ask me for a private underwritten quote to compare. It is priced on age, ZIP code and health, its benefits vary by plan, and it only takes effect if approved.

Your checklist

Your 2027 renewal notice, read line by line
Whether your plan is the same one or a replacement
Doctors and prescriptions in the 2027 plan
Last year's actual care, priced at each metal level

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

Healthy and facing a big renewal: priced on age, ZIP code and health. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

Ongoing treatment, or a subsidy you still qualify for: stay with HealthCare.gov, but pick the 2027 plan yourself instead of auto-renewing.

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.

We moved to Myrtle Beach and kept doctors in Charlotte. Will our renewal cover them?

Probably not unless the plan's network reaches into North Carolina, and most South Carolina Marketplace plans are regional. Look up each Charlotte doctor in the 2027 plan, then check whether any other plan includes them. If none do, decide which doctors to keep and, if you are healthy, whether a broader private network makes sense.

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.