Medicare 2026

Medicare in South Carolina for 2027: 5 Advantage Plans Leaving, 7 New

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Medicare Advantage lineup across South Carolina shifts again for the 2027 plan year, with a handful of plans leaving, a handful arriving, and about one in five existing plans changing in a way members will see on paper. Statewide, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Landscape file lists 97 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, up from 95 in 2026. The dates on the calendar are fixed: Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and the choices made during that window take effect January 1, 2027.

What is changing with Medicare Advantage in South Carolina for 2027?

South Carolina will have 97 Medicare Advantage plans available in 2027, compared with 95 in 2026, offered across 46 counties. Within that total, 5 plans are not returning anywhere in the state, 7 plans are new, and 19 are changing in at least one notable way — a different premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name. One carrier, Wellpoint, will not offer a Medicare Advantage plan in South Carolina for 2027.

For members, two pieces of mail do most of the work. The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) arrives in September from the current plan and spells out what is different for the next year. A separate non-renewal letter arrives only if a plan is leaving. If a plan is not returning in 2027, a Special Enrollment Period runs through the end of February 2027 to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan, or to return to Original Medicare. Because Medicare Advantage plans are sold county by county, a plan that still exists statewide may not be offered in every county.

Which South Carolina counties have the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

The Upstate shows the heaviest churn. Cherokee County has 14 plans leaving and 7 changing. Anderson County has 6 leaving and 11 changing. Greenville County has 4 leaving and 12 changing. Pickens County has 5 leaving and 10 changing. Spartanburg County has 3 leaving and 12 changing.

For residents of these counties, the practical step is the same: read the ANOC in September, check whether the current doctors, hospitals and pharmacies are still in the plan's network for 2027, and confirm that current prescriptions are still on the drug list at the pharmacy actually used. Those details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov, from 1-800-MEDICARE, or from the plan's own 2027 documents.

How many stand-alone Part D drug plans will South Carolina have in 2027?

South Carolina will have 8 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans in 2027, down from 11 in 2026, offered by 4 insurers. Stand-alone Part D is the drug coverage used with Original Medicare, or paired with a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include drug coverage, such as most Medicare Medical Savings Account plans and some PPOs.

Because the number of plans is smaller, every current Part D member in South Carolina should open the ANOC to see whether the plan is renewing and whether the formulary, pharmacy network or cost-sharing tiers have shifted for 2027.

How many Medigap insurers are listed in South Carolina for 2027?

Medicare.gov lists 25 Medigap insurers for a ZIP code in South Carolina. Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement Insurance, works only with Original Medicare and helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind.

Federal rules on when a person can buy or switch a Medigap policy, and whether medical underwriting applies, are set nationally; South Carolina's own rules sit on top of those. The current rules for a specific situation are at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

What are the 2027 Medicare numbers and the Social Security COLA for South Carolina retirees?

Two national Part D figures are confirmed for 2027: the annual out-of-pocket cap for covered prescriptions is $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026, and no Part D plan may set a deductible higher than $700. The Part D base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33; that is the national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty, not any specific plan's monthly price, which is set plan by plan.

On October 14, 2026, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning in January 2027. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced by CMS at the time of writing; those figures normally come out in the fall and will be posted on Medicare.gov.

What should South Carolina Medicare members do before December 7, 2026?

A short checklist for Annual Enrollment 2027:

• Read the Annual Notice of Change from the current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan when it arrives in September 2026.
• Watch separately for a non-renewal letter; if the plan is leaving, a Special Enrollment Period runs through February 2027.
• Make a current list of doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and prescriptions, and check each against any plan being considered for 2027.
• Use the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov to compare 2027 plans available in the home ZIP code and county.
• Make any change by December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.

Where can South Carolina residents get free Medicare help?

The two free, non-commercial sources are Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both can confirm which plans are offered in a specific South Carolina county for 2027, pull up current plan documents, and walk through enrollment windows.