Elevance (Wellpoint) Is Leaving SC Medicare Advantage for 2027: Your Options Before Dec 7

Elevance Health, which sells Medicare Advantage in South Carolina under the Wellpoint name, is exiting the state's Medicare Advantage market for 2027, according to Becker's Payer Issues. If you're a member, your plan ends on December 31, 2026. The simplest path is to choose a new plan by December 7, during Annual Enrollment, so your new coverage starts January 1 with no gap.

If you miss December 7, you still have a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through February 28, 2027. If you do nothing at all, you'll be moved to Original Medicare on January 1, without drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan.

Becker's reported on October 1, 2026, that Elevance is "pulling standard plans from 56 counties and exiting South Carolina" as part of its 2027 Medicare Advantage changes. Nationally, Elevance will still offer Medicare Advantage in 1,590 counties across 23 states and Puerto Rico.

For 2026, Wellpoint's South Carolina website listed its Wellpoint Medicare Advantage (HMO) plan in Greenville and Pickens counties. Your plan's non-renewal letter and Annual Notice of Change confirm whether your specific plan is ending; if you're not sure, call us and we'll check it for you.

Elevance also left the stand-alone Part D market in 2026, so there is no Wellpoint drug-only plan to move to.

Your plan should have mailed you a non-renewal letter this fall. Keep it, since it documents why you're switching.

You have four basic paths. The right one depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget and your health.

"Do nothing" is the one we try to help people avoid. Without a drug plan, you'll pay full price at the pharmacy, and going 63 days or more without creditable drug coverage can trigger a lifelong Part D late enrollment penalty.

Because Wellpoint isn't renewing its Medicare contract, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February of the following year. For this exit, that's December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027.

Your new plan's start date depends on when you choose:

• Choose by December 7: your new plan starts January 1.
• Choose December 8–31: your new plan still starts January 1.
• Choose in January: your new plan starts February 1. You'll be in Original Medicare for January, with no drug plan.
• Choose in February: your new plan starts March 1.

The SEP is a safety net, but every month you wait past December 31 is a month in Original Medicare with no Part D and no supplement.

The SEP is for people whose plan is ending. It's separate from the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31), which lets people already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1 make one change.

Outside your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period and a few protected situations, Medigap insurers can generally review your health history when you apply. A plan leaving the market is one of those protected situations.

When your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare or stops covering your area, federal rules give you the right to buy a Medigap policy without being turned down or charged more for your health. Medicare says you can apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends.

For a plan ending December 31, 2026, that window runs from about November 1, 2026 to March 4, 2027. Which plan letters are guaranteed depends on when you first became eligible for Medicare. For example, Plans C and F can only be sold to people who became eligible before January 1, 2020. We confirm the specific options with each carrier before you apply.

If your health has changed since you joined Medicare Advantage, this guaranteed issue window may be the easiest chance you'll get to move to Medigap. Our Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap comparison covers the trade-offs.

You won't be short on choices. CMS reports 97 Medicare Advantage plans available in South Carolina for 2027, up from 95 in 2026, and every Medicare beneficiary in the state has access to at least one $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan. A MoneyGeek analysis of CMS 2027 data found that 89% of South Carolina's 61 standard Medicare Advantage plans (excluding special needs plans) charge no monthly premium.

Beyond the premium, compare these before you pick:

1. Network. Upstate members should confirm that their doctors and hospitals, such as Prisma Health Greenville Memorial or Bon Secours St. Francis, are in the new plan's network. See our guide to plans that include Prisma Health and MUSC.
2. Maximum out-of-pocket. The 2027 federal limit for in-network costs is $9,850. Plans can set a lower limit, so compare the actual number.
3. Drugs. Check every prescription on the new plan's formulary and the tier it lands on. Our 2027 Part D guide explains the new $2,400 out-of-pocket cap.
4. Extras you use. Dental, vision, hearing and transportation benefits vary a lot from plan to plan.
5. Plan type. HMOs usually require in-network care and often referrals. Where a PPO is offered in your county, it lets you see out-of-network providers at a higher cost share.

If you have Medicaid or get Extra Help, you may have additional enrollment options. Ask us or I-CARE before you choose.

Find your non-renewal letter, your Medicare card, a list of your doctors and your prescriptions with dosages. If you're leaning toward Medigap, apply early, since processing still takes time.