UnitedHealthcare Exits 8 South Carolina Counties in 2027
UnitedHealthcare is leaving the Marketplace in eight SC counties and staying in nine. If your UHC plan is ending, compare the remaining carriers and their local hospitals before December 15.
Reviewed by Lara Heath, ACA Sales Manager, Agent & Broker
Published · Updated
In this guide
For 2027, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) stops selling HealthCare.gov plans in Cherokee, Chester, Colleton, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Marlboro and Union counties. It stays in Allendale, Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Hampton, Kershaw, Newberry, Saluda and Williamsburg. If you have a UHC plan in one of the eight exit counties, HealthCare.gov may move you into a similar plan from another company. You can choose your own by December 15 for a January 1 start.
What's left in the 8 counties UHC is leaving
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| County | 2027 carriers | Benchmark silver, 2027 | Change from 2026 | Lowest bronze | Lowest gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | Ambetter, BCBS, First Choice Next | $760 First Choice Next | +18.1% | $558 First Choice Next | $736 First Choice Next |
| Chester | Ambetter, BCBS, First Choice Next | $758 First Choice Next | +27.2% | $556 First Choice Next | $734 First Choice Next |
| Colleton | Ambetter, BCBS, Oscar | $732 Ambetter | +28.4% | $594 Ambetter | $765 Ambetter |
| Lancaster | Ambetter, BCBS, First Choice Next | $763 First Choice Next | +26.2% | $560 First Choice Next | $739 First Choice Next |
| Laurens | Ambetter, BCBS, First Choice Next | $760 First Choice Next | +29.3% | $541 BCBS | $736 First Choice Next |
| Lee | Ambetter, BCBS | $787 Ambetter | +46.8% | $622 BCBS | $823 Ambetter |
| Marlboro | Ambetter, BCBS | $789 Ambetter | +34.4% | $547 BCBS | $825 Ambetter |
| Union | Ambetter, BCBS, First Choice Next | $760 First Choice Next | +18.1% | $558 First Choice Next | $736 First Choice Next |
- Lee and Marlboro lost both UHC and Molina, so only Ambetter and BlueCross BlueShield of SC remain. Lee has the largest benchmark increase in the state at +46.8%.
- Cherokee, Chester, Lancaster and Union also lost Molina. First Choice Next is the benchmark carrier there and has the lowest-priced bronze and gold.
- Colleton lost UHC and Molina, but gained Oscar, which is new to South Carolina this year.
- Laurens had no Molina plans in 2026. UHC's exit leaves Ambetter, BCBS and First Choice Next.
If your subsidy is based on a benchmark that jumped, your net premium can move even if you stay with the same metal level. Our agents can show you the after-subsidy price for your exact household.
Will your local hospital still be covered?
UHC members in these counties ask us this more than anything else. The table shows which remaining carriers include the main local hospital in each exit county.
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| County | Hospital | BCBS BlueEssentials / BlueConnect (EPO) | Other BCBS networks | Ambetter | First Choice Next | Oscar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | Cherokee Medical Center (Gaffney) | Not sold | ||||
| Chester | MUSC Health Chester Medical Center | Yes (Blue Cooper, Congaree, Pee Dee, Beaufort) | Not sold | |||
| Colleton | Colleton Medical Center (HCA) | Not sold | ||||
| Lancaster | MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center | Yes (Blue Cooper, Congaree, Pee Dee, Beaufort) | Not sold | |||
| Laurens | Prisma Health Laurens County | Yes (Blue Reedy) | Not sold | |||
| Union | Union Medical Center | Not sold |
We don't track a hospital in Lee or Marlboro counties, so members there should check the hospitals they actually use, which may be in a neighboring county. BCBS sells several different networks, and a hospital can be in one and not another, so check the specific plan.
What happens if you do nothing
UHC will send a discontinuation notice if your plan is ending. Federal re-enrollment rules (45 CFR 155.335) work like this:
- If UHC still sells a similar plan in your county, you stay with UHC.
- If UHC offers no Marketplace plans in your county, HealthCare.gov may re-enroll you in a comparable plan from a different company, as far as state law allows.
HealthCare.gov says that if your company has no similar plans next year, you'll be re-enrolled in a comparable one. That plan is chosen automatically, without your doctors or prescriptions in mind.
You keep the right to choose:
- Pick by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
- Pick December 16 to January 15, 2027 for coverage starting February 1. If your automatic plan has already started, you can still switch through January 15.
The same rules apply to former Molina members, and many people in these counties had both carriers. Our Molina exit guide has more detail.
If you live in one of the 9 counties where UHC stays
UHC still sells 17 HMO plans in Allendale, Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Hampton, Kershaw, Newberry, Saluda and Williamsburg. Its bronze plans are labeled HSA-eligible, and every UHC plan includes children's dental. Prices vary by county, so compare UHC's lowest plan at each metal level with the county's lowest silver.
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| County | Benchmark silver | UHC lowest bronze | UHC lowest silver | UHC lowest gold | County lowest silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allendale | $670 | $603 | $847 | $904 | $654 Ambetter |
| Calhoun | $664 | $691 | $971 | $1,036 | $659 First Choice Next |
| Clarendon | $687 | $629 | $884 | $943 | $671 Ambetter |
| Fairfield | $658 | $715 | $1,004 | $1,071 | $643 Ambetter |
| Hampton | $765 | $613 | $862 | $919 | $748 BCBS |
| Kershaw | $606 | $641 | $901 | $961 | $592 Ambetter |
| Newberry | $675 | $717 | $1,007 | $1,074 | $659 Ambetter |
| Saluda | $686 | $754 | $1,060 | $1,131 | $670 Ambetter |
| Williamsburg | $623 | $612 | $860 | $918 | $609 Ambetter |
In all nine counties, UHC's lowest-priced silver plan costs more than the county's lowest silver and more than the benchmark. If you're staying with UHC, confirm it still fits your doctors and budget. Your subsidy is the same whichever carrier you choose, because it's tied to the benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
Not entirely. UHC is leaving the Marketplace in eight counties (Cherokee, Chester, Colleton, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Marlboro and Union) and staying in nine (Allendale, Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Hampton, Kershaw, Newberry, Saluda and Williamsburg).
Usually not. HealthCare.gov may re-enroll you in a comparable plan from another company. Log in to confirm you have a 2027 plan, and change it if it doesn't fit.
December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1. You can still enroll or switch through January 15, 2027, with coverage starting February 1.
Ambetter and BlueCross BlueShield of SC. These two counties lost both UHC and Molina for 2027.
In our 2027 network data, MUSC Health Lancaster is in BCBS, Ambetter and First Choice Next networks. MUSC Health Chester is in BCBS and First Choice Next networks, but not Ambetter's. Always confirm the specific plan before enrolling.
Sources
- Keep or change your insurance plan (automatic re-enrollment) — HealthCare.gov
- 45 CFR 155.335, Annual eligibility redetermination and re-enrollment hierarchy — Cornell LII
- Updated federal standard notices and enforcement safe harbor for discontinuation notices, PY2027 — CMS
- How insurers' ACA footprints are changing in 2027 — Becker's Payer Issues
- Murdock Insurance Group analysis of PY2027 SC Marketplace rate filings / plan data
Premiums shown are full-price monthly premiums for a 40-year-old, before subsidies. Your actual cost depends on age, income, household size, tobacco use and county. Murdock Insurance Group is an independent, licensed insurance agency and is not affiliated with HealthCare.gov or any government agency. Networks and drug lists can change; we verify with the carrier before you enroll. Last verified: November 2026.
Reviewed by
Lara Heath
ACA Sales Manager, Agent & Broker
I'm a field agent who helps individuals and groups with health and life insurance.
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