South Carolina · 2026 plan year
Medicare Advantage HMO plans in South Carolina
There are 37 Medicare Advantage HMO plans in South Carolina from 11 carriers, averaging 3.93 out of 5 stars across the 30 plans CMS has rated. Nearly all charge no monthly plan premium, so what separates them is network, drug coverage and how much you could owe in a bad year.
37
HMO plans
11
Carriers
46
Counties covered
3.9
Avg stars (30 of 37 rated)
$7,738
Avg out-of-pocket max
A $0 plan premium is not a free plan. You still pay your Part B premium to Medicare, plus copays and coinsurance as you use care. Star ratings are published by CMS per contract, so every plan a carrier files under the same contract shares one rating — it describes the carrier’s performance, not this specific plan’s benefits. Estimate your real costs.
South Carolina HMO plans rank 16th of 49 on star rating.
Across the 30 rated plans here the average overall rating is 3.93 stars, 16th highest of the 49 states with HMO plans. Ratings apply to the contract, so every plan a carrier files under one contract shares the same score.
Not sure whether Medicare Advantage suits you at all? Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare covers the trade in plain language.
Highest rated
Top-rated HMO plans in South Carolina
| Plan | Stars | Out-of-pocket max | Premium / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Medicare Enhanced (HMO)Aetna Medicare | 4.5★ | $8,200 | $2.20 |
| Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO)Aetna Medicare | 4.5★ | $8,200 | $0 |
| Aetna Medicare Value Plus (HMO)Aetna Medicare | 4.5★ | $8,200 | $0 |
| Aetna Medicare Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP)Aetna Medicare · Chronic or Disabling Condition SNP | 4.5★ | $9,250 | $0 |
| Aetna Medicare Chronic Care Total (HMO C-SNP)Aetna Medicare · Chronic or Disabling Condition SNP | 4.5★ | $9,250 | $0 |
Showing 5 of 37. See all South CarolinaMedicare Advantage plans →
Who sells here
HMO plans by carrier
| Carrier | Plans | Avg stars | SNPs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna MedicareCVS Health Corporation | 8 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Cigna HealthCareHealth Care Service Corporation | 8 | 4.0 | — |
| HumanaHumana Inc. | 6 | 3.0 | 2 |
| WellcareCentene Corporation | 4 | 4.0 | — |
| UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealth Group, Inc. | 3 | 4.0 | — |
| Devoted HealthDevoted Health, Inc. | 2 | — | — |
| Molina Healthcare of South CarolinaMolina Healthcare, Inc. | 2 | 3.5 | 2 |
| First Choice VIP Care (HMO D-SNP)Independence Health Group, Inc. | 1 | — | 1 |
| PruittHealth PremierUNICO Services, Inc. | 1 | — | 1 |
| Wellcare By Absolute Total CareCentene Corporation | 1 | — | 1 |
| WellpointElevance Health, Inc. | 1 | — | — |
Other plan types in South Carolina
How HMO compares
Nearby on quality
States with similar HMO star ratings
Common questions
South Carolina Medicare Advantage HMO plans, answered
How much do Medicare Advantage HMO plans cost in South Carolina?
Of the South Carolina HMO plans with a published premium, 92% charge $0 a month. A $0 premium does not mean the plan is free: you still pay your Part B premium to Medicare, plus copays and coinsurance as you use care. The number that actually caps a bad year is the in-network out-of-pocket maximum, which averages $7,738 across these plans.
What are the star ratings for South Carolina HMO plans?
The 30 rated HMO plans in South Carolina average 3.93 out of 5 stars, with 23 rating 4 or better. CMS rates a contract rather than an individual plan, so every plan a carrier files under the same contract shares one score. A contract that is too new or has too little data is not rated at all, which is different from rating badly.
How many Medicare Advantage HMO plans are available in South Carolina?
There are 37 HMO plans from 11 carriers, sold across 46 counties. Availability is set by county, so the plans you can actually join depend on where you live — the full list is rarely available in any one place. 11 of them are Special Needs Plans with extra eligibility rules (see below).
Do South Carolina HMO plans include prescription drug coverage?
37 of the 37 HMO plans here bundle Part D drug coverage into the plan. That is the usual arrangement for Medicare Advantage and there is no separate drug premium for it — the plan premium covers both. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan without drug coverage, you generally cannot add a standalone Part D plan alongside it.
What is a Special Needs Plan, and are there any in South Carolina?
11 of the 37 HMO plans in South Carolina are Special Needs Plans. SNPs limit enrollment to people who also have Medicaid, live in a nursing home or similar institution, or have a qualifying chronic condition. They often carry richer benefits for that group, but if you do not meet the criteria you cannot join one — so the real number of plans open to you may be lower than the total.
A $0 premium is not the whole cost.
See what a year really looks like.
Simplivera models your actual annual costs across South Carolina Medicare Advantage plans.
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