4 Marketplace Enrollment Dates South Carolinians Need for 2027 Coverage

If you don’t act by Dec. 15, HealthCare.gov may re-enroll you automatically, but that plan might not be the best fit for you.

South Carolinians shopping for 2027 coverage have other dates to watch, too.

Here are the Marketplace enrollment dates South Carolinians need for 2027 coverage.

Note: This is general information, not insurance advice. Enrollment dates and rules are subject to change, so confirm the current dates at HealthCare.gov.

1. November 1 Open Enrollment Start

Open enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1 on HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace South Carolina uses.

That’s the first day you can enroll in, renew or change a health plan there.

Update your application with any changes you expect for the year ahead.

Marketplace savings are based on the income you expect for the year you’re applying for coverage, not on past years.

Skip that step, and you could qualify for more savings than you’re getting now, or for less and have to pay back the difference when you file taxes.

HealthCare.gov offers email reminders so you don’t miss a date.

A downloadable checklist lists what to gather before you apply.

2. December 15 Deadline for January 1 Coverage

December 15 is the last day to enroll in or change plans on HealthCare.gov for coverage that starts January 1.

Your plan doesn’t start until you pay your first monthly premium, so enrolling isn’t the final step.

Each insurance company handles payments differently, so follow the instructions yours sends you.

By December 15, update your application to get the right amount of savings for next year and enroll in a plan so your coverage starts January 1.

Sign up December 16 through January 15 instead, and your coverage starts February 1, a month later.

Your current Marketplace plan ends December 31, no matter when you enrolled in it.

3. January 15 Final Deadline

Open enrollment on HealthCare.gov ends January 15, the last day to enroll in or change Marketplace plans for the year.

After that date, you can enroll in or change plans only if you qualify for a special enrollment period.

If HealthCare.gov re-enrolled you automatically, you can still change plans until then for a February 1 start.

Update your application and enroll by January 15 for a February 1 start.

That figure comes from a CMS snapshot that counts both new and returning consumers and covers open enrollment through January 15, 2026.

4. January 16 Special Enrollment Window

On HealthCare.gov, January 16 through October 31 is the stretch when you can get coverage only if you qualify for a special enrollment period.

That's a window outside open enrollment, tied to a life event such as moving or losing other coverage.

If you qualify, you can apply for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time of year.

When you apply, you attest that the information you give is true, including what qualifies you for a special enrollment period.

You may have to submit documents that confirm your loss of coverage.

60 Days After Losing Coverage

You may qualify for a special enrollment period if you lost qualifying health coverage in the past 60 days or expect to lose it in the next 60 days.

COBRA is a federal law that lets you keep job-based coverage for a limited time after a life event such as losing your job.

When your COBRA coverage ends, you have 60 days to enroll in a Marketplace plan.

That applies when the coverage expires, not when you cancel it early.

A discontinued individual plan qualifies you, and so does losing a plan because you no longer live in its service area.

Coverage you had through a parent, spouse or other family member counts if you lose it.

Other changes in the past 60 days can open a window, such as getting married, having a baby or adopting a child.

A new home in a new ZIP code or county may qualify you, as may a move to the U.S. from a foreign country or territory.

Students and seasonal workers who move to or from the place they attend school or live and work may qualify as well.

Becoming a U.S. citizen, leaving incarceration and being affected by a natural disaster such as a hurricane can qualify you, too.

Could South Carolina's Open Enrollment Dates Change?

The open enrollment dates stand for now, and HealthCare.gov lists them as November 1 through January 15.

CMS said in an August 4 statement that open enrollment on the federal marketplace begins November 1, 2026, and ends January 15, 2027.

A 2025 federal rule would have ended open enrollment on HealthCare.gov on December 15, starting with 2027 coverage.

In June 2026, a federal court in Maryland threw out that shorter window along with other parts of the rule.

The federal government appealed. As of a September 29 update, the Fourth Circuit had scheduled oral argument for October 30, 2026.

In late July, the government asked the appeals court for a decision by December 31.

The appeal challenges the lower court's decision to throw out the shorter window, so a ruling could affect those dates.

Because of that schedule, check HealthCare.gov's dates page for any change before you enroll, especially close to December 15.

Automatic Re-Enrollment

If you don't act by December 15, HealthCare.gov may re-enroll you automatically for January 1 coverage, but you should update your application to get the right amount of savings.

That could be your current plan or a different plan from the same insurance company.

When your insurance company isn't offering plans next year, HealthCare.gov may place you with a different company.

Don't want the plan HealthCare.gov picks? You can still enroll in a different plan by December 15 for a January 1 start.

By November 1, you should get a letter from your insurance company and a letter from the Marketplace.

Read both to find out whether your current plan is available next year and which plan, if any, you'd be re-enrolled in if you don't act by December 15.

Check the Marketplace letter to see whether you need to send documents that confirm information on your application.

Plans and prices change every year, so compare your current plan with the one HealthCare.gov picks and with the other plans available if your plan is gone.

FAQ

Quick answers on the dates, the start days and the plan you get if you do nothing.

What are the 2027 open enrollment dates for South Carolina?

Open enrollment on HealthCare.gov runs November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1.

When does 2027 coverage start?

Coverage starts January 1 if you enroll by December 15 and pay your first premium. It starts February 1 if you enroll from December 16 through January 15 and pay your first premium.

Can you enroll after January 15?

You can enroll after January 15 only if you qualify for a special enrollment period. Losing coverage or moving to a new ZIP code or county may qualify you.

If you qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, you can apply for them at any time.

Does South Carolina have a state marketplace?

No, South Carolina residents enroll through HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace.

What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?

HealthCare.gov may re-enroll you for January 1 in the same plan or a different plan from your insurance company. If your company isn't offering plans next year, HealthCare.gov may place you with a different company.

Your plan doesn't start until you pay your first monthly premium.