Today, the South Carolina Department of Insurance (SCDOI) has released 2020 SC marketplace health insurance rates for plans available through the health insurance marketplace! This release has quite a few unexpected surprises! In fact, our detailed analysis has determined that quite a few SC counties may experience a MAJOR SHIFT for 2020 SC Marketplace Health Insurance rates.
NEED HELP shopping for 2020? Click here to see all available plans (2020 plans available soon!) or call 843-882-7062 and ask for an appointment with the “SC Health Connector” – we are a local, independent agency that works for YOU!
Molina 2020 SC Marketplace Health Insurance rates
As reported last month by The Post and Courier, Molina has entered the South Carolina market in 20 counties for 2020. The initial 2020 SC marketplace health insurance rates provided by the SC DOI seem to indicate that in Charleston County, Molina has significantly under priced BlueCross BlueShield of SC – in some instances by nearly double digits! We anticipate this will have a profound impact on BCBS Silver plan members, and may affect many members currently enrolled in ZERO PREMIUM Bronze plans.
According to the SC DOI Molina will offer plans for 2020 in 20 South Carolina counties.
Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dillon, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Saluda, and Williamsburg.
Currently, Charleston county is the only Molina County that we have sample 2020 SC Marketplace Health Insurance rates for. However, based on initial data, it will be imperative that SC residents the aforementioned counties actively renew their plan for 2020, as rate impact could significantly affect their monthly health plan cost!
Ambetter 2020 SC Marketplace Health Insurance rates
In addition, as reported by this blog in August, Ambetter by Absolute Total Care, has also expanded in South Carolina for 2020. For 2019, Ambetter operated in only Charleston County. Generally, Ambetter was not very competitive on SC marketplace health insurance rates for 2019. According to the latest SC Department of Insurance release, Ambetter will offer plans in the following 12 South Carolina counties for 2020:
Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Chester, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Horry, Jasper, Lancaster, Marion, and York.
Based on preliminary SC DOI data, Ambetter appears to under price BCBS-SC in the Silver Plan category for Charleston and York counties. Ambetter appears to be more competitive for Silver plans in York county, than coastal areas. In all areas, BCBS appears to be more competitive on Bronze plans.
Bright Health Plans 2020 SC Marketplace Health Insurance rates
New to South Carolina for 2020, Bright Health will offer individual marketplace plans in Anderson, Greenville, and Pickens counties. Sample 2020 SC marketplace health insurance rates from the SC DOI seem to indicate that Bright is very competitive in the Silver Plan market. BCBS-SC seems to be more competitive in the Gold and Bronze plan space, based on preliminary data.