Medicare Annual Enrollment 2027 in South Carolina: What to Review Before December 7

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for 2027 runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027. During AEP you can switch Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D drug plans, or move between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare. In South Carolina, the review matters more than usual this year: Elevance Health is exiting the state's Medicare Advantage market, the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400, and the federal limit on Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket costs rises to $9,850.

If your plan still fits your doctors, drugs and budget, you don't have to do anything. If it doesn't, December 7 is the date to work backward from.

The Medicare AEP is separate from Marketplace open enrollment, which runs on a different calendar. If someone in your household has an ACA plan, that's a different set of deadlines.

During the Annual Enrollment Period, you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
• Leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare
• Join, drop or switch a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan

Your last choice before December 7 is the one that counts. If you enroll in a new plan, you're generally disenrolled from the old one automatically when the new coverage starts.

Every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan that is renewing must tell you what changes on January 1. That letter is the Annual Notice of Change, and plans should send it by September 30. It compares 2026 and 2027 premiums, deductibles, copays, the out-of-pocket maximum, the drug list and the network.

Look for these red flags in particular:

• A drug you take removed from the formulary, moved to a higher tier, or given prior authorization
• A doctor, hospital or pharmacy you use leaving the network
• A higher maximum out-of-pocket limit
• A new premium or new medical deductible
• Smaller dental, vision, hearing or over-the-counter allowances

Our line-by-line guide, How to Read Your 2027 Medicare Annual Notice of Change, shows what each section means.

According to Becker's Payer, Elevance Health is "pulling standard plans from 56 counties and exiting South Carolina" for 2027. Elevance is the parent company of Wellpoint and Anthem, so if your plan card carries either name, this is the section to read.

If your plan is not renewing, you should have received a non-renewal notice instead of an ANOC. If you got one:

• You have extra time. A Special Enrollment Period lets you choose a new plan from October 15 through the last day of February 2027.
• You may have a Medigap right. When a Medicare Advantage plan leaves, you may have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies without medical underwriting. That right is generally time-limited, typically 63 days after your coverage ends.
• If you do nothing, you'll be moved to Original Medicare on January 1. Unless you have Extra Help or other drug coverage, you won't have Part D drug coverage until you pick a plan.

Even with the extra time, we recommend choosing by December 7 so there's no gap on January 1. Our article on Elevance (Wellpoint) leaving SC Medicare Advantage goes into the options in detail.

A $0 premium doesn't help if your cardiologist isn't in the network. For each doctor, specialist and hospital you use, check the plan's 2027 provider directory and call the office to confirm.

In the Midlands, we usually check practices affiliated with Prisma Health, Lexington Medical Center and MUSC Health. In the Upstate and Lowcountry, the hospital systems change, but the process is the same. If keeping a specific health system matters to you, see our guide to Medicare Advantage plans that include Prisma Health and MUSC.

Ask specifically whether your doctor will be in network with that plan on January 1, 2027. "We take Humana" or "We take Blue Cross" isn't always enough, because one carrier can have several plans with different networks.

The main Part D numbers change again for 2027:

Other Part D changes for 2027:

• Negotiated drug prices. Medicare's negotiated prices for 15 more drugs take effect January 1, 2027. They include semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), Trelegy Ellipta, Breo Ellipta, Linzess, Tradjenta and Janumet, among others. Your copay still depends on your plan's tiers and rules, so check your drug list either way.
• Premium stabilization ends. CMS ended the Part D premium stabilization demonstration after 2026. That program had held down stand-alone Part D premiums, so some stand-alone plan premiums may change more than in recent years.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. If you used this option to spread drug costs into monthly payments in 2026, you are automatically renewed for 2027 if you stay in the same plan. If you switch plans, you'll need to sign up again with the new plan.

Bring a complete list of your medications, with doses, to any plan comparison. A plan that's cheaper on premium can cost more over the year if one of your drugs sits on a high tier. Our 2027 Part D changes guide covers this in more depth.

In South Carolina, plans rarely differ much on premium. About 89% of the state's 61 non-special-needs Medicare Advantage plans charge a $0 monthly premium for 2027, according to MoneyGeek's analysis of CMS data, so compare the other costs closely.

Look at:

• Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP). The 2027 federal in-network limit is $9,850. MoneyGeek found South Carolina plans range from $5,900 to $9,850, with a median of $9,250. A plan with a lower MOOP protects you more in a year with a hospital stay or cancer treatment.
• Copays you'll actually use. Primary care, specialists, labs, imaging, outpatient surgery and per-day inpatient costs.
• Drug costs. Your deductible and tier copays for your specific prescriptions.
• Part B premium. You keep paying your Part B premium in almost every case, even with a $0 Medicare Advantage plan. The 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report projects about $209.50 for 2027; CMS usually announces the final 2027 premium and deductible in November, and we'll update this page when it does.

Our article on $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans in South Carolina explains how those plans are funded and what to look for.

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts from 1 to 5 stars each year based on quality and member experience. MoneyGeek's review of 2027 data found South Carolina plans average 3.83 stars, and 33 of the 61 non-special-needs plans are rated 4 stars or higher.

Star ratings are a useful tiebreaker, but they shouldn't outweigh your doctors and drugs. A 4.5-star plan that drops your pharmacy may still be the wrong fit.

MoneyGeek's analysis of CMS 2027 data shows:

The eight carriers in MoneyGeek's 2027 review are Aetna Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Clover Health, Devoted Health, HealthSpring, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare. Not every carrier sells in every county. MoneyGeek counts five carriers in Richland and Lexington counties, seven in Greenville County and all eight in Charleston County.

Nationally, CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027, and says about eight in 10 Medicare Advantage members will be able to stay in their current plan.

AEP is also when people reconsider the bigger choice: a Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare with a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy and a Part D plan.

Medicare Advantage plans in South Carolina usually have low or $0 premiums, a provider network, copays, an annual out-of-pocket maximum, and often extras like dental and vision. Many require referrals or prior authorization.

Original Medicare with Medigap lets you see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare, with no network and generally no referrals. You pay a monthly Medigap premium plus a separate Part D premium, and in exchange your out-of-pocket costs are more predictable.

The catch is timing. You can return to Original Medicare during AEP, but buying a Medigap policy later isn't guaranteed. Outside your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period and specific guaranteed-issue situations, South Carolina insurers can ask health questions and may charge more or decline coverage. Before you leave a Medicare Advantage plan, make sure you can get the Medigap policy you want.

We compare both paths in Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap in South Carolina: 2027 Comparison. If you're leaning toward Medigap, see Medigap Plan G in South Carolina.

AEP is mostly for people who already have Medicare. If you're turning 65, your Initial Enrollment Period is built around your birthday, not AEP. See our turning 65 timeline for South Carolina.

If you currently have an ACA Marketplace plan and are becoming eligible for Medicare, plan the handoff carefully. Read Moving From a Marketplace Plan to Medicare so you don't end up paying for both.

Use this before December 7:

1. Open your ANOC or non-renewal letter. Note every change to costs, drugs and network.
2. Confirm your plan is renewing. If it's an Elevance (Wellpoint) plan, plan to choose a replacement.
3. List your doctors, specialists and hospitals. Confirm each is in network for 2027.
4. List your prescriptions with doses. Check formulary, tier and any new prior authorization.
5. Check your pharmacy. Confirm it's in network and whether it's preferred.
6. Compare total cost. Premium, deductibles, copays, drug costs and MOOP.
7. Check star ratings as a tiebreaker.
8. If you're considering Medigap, confirm you can qualify before leaving Medicare Advantage.
9. Enroll by December 7 so your new plan starts January 1.
10. Keep your confirmation number and watch for your new ID card.

Running short on time? See our final-week AEP checklist.

If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, 2027. You can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare during that window.

That window doesn't help people with Original Medicare who want to add or change a stand-alone Part D plan. For most people, December 7 is the real deadline.

Murdock Insurance Group is a family-owned, independent agency in Irmo, founded in 2014. Our licensed agents compare plans from the carriers we represent, check your doctors and drugs, and explain the trade-offs. Before a Medicare appointment, we'll ask you to complete a short Scope of Appointment form, which Medicare requires so there's a record of the plan types you want to discuss.

Our help costs you nothing. Carriers pay us, and your premium is the same whether you enroll with us or on your own.