Mississippi Small Group Health Insurance 2027: How to Choose

Mississippi · Small group · 2027

Mississippi Small Group Health Insurance: 2027 Carriers, Plans and Rates

Updated October 9, 2026

Two carriers filed 2027 small group plans in Mississippi. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and UnitedHealthcare are selling.

Proposed 2027 increases by carrier: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi +2.4%; UnitedHealthcare +17.8%. Regulators can still lower them.

Get quotes from all two carriersFree. We quote the carriers that didn't publish prices.

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Which carriers sell small group health plans in Mississippi?

One row per brand. Proposed change is each company's average as filed on ratereview.healthcare.gov. Regulators can still lower them.
CarrierNetworks and plan typesWhere it sells2027 plan designsProposed 2027 changePrices
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MississippiNetworks and plan typesBlue Care Group PPO, Benefit Choice, HSA plansWhere it sellsNot published in public filings2027 plan designsNot publicProposed 2027 change+2.4%PricesQuote only
UnitedHealthcareNetworks and plan typesChoice Plus Essential POSWhere it sellsNot published in public filings2027 plan designsNot publicProposed 2027 change+17.8%PricesQuote only

What's changing for Mississippi small group health insurance in 2027?

  1. Average proposed 2027 changes range from +2.4% to +17.8%, as filed. Your group's change also depends on employee ages and the plan you pick.

  2. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi holds about 89% of 2026 small-group enrollment. It requested an average of about 2.4% for 2027, after about 15% in 2026.

  3. UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company requested about +17.8%, up from about +8% in 2026.

  4. Mississippi's HB 343 (signed April 6, 2026) rewards employers under 50 employees that switch from a group plan to an ICHRA. The credit is up to $400 per covered employee the first year and $200 the next. A $1 million statewide yearly cap applies.

Mississippi State Capitol lit up at dusk in downtown Jackson

Mississippi small group rules employers ask about

Who counts as a small employer

  • Up to 50 eligible employees working 32+ hours a week, on at least half your working days last year.
  • Affiliated companies count as one employer.
  • An owner-only plan isn't a group plan under federal rules; Blue Cross sells to groups of 2 to 50.

Miss. Code § 83-63-3; 29 CFR 2510.3-3

How premiums are set

  • By each employee's age, your rating area, the plan and your renewal quarter.
  • Mississippi keeps the 2017 federal age curve, so children under 21 are priced at the lowest age factor.
  • Blue Cross doesn't charge a tobacco surcharge for 2027 and may offer 4-tier composite premiums.

45 CFR §147.102; CMS Market Rating Reforms; BCBSMS 2027 actuarial memo

When you can enroll

  • Any month, if you meet the carrier's participation and contribution rules.
  • Miss those rules and you can still enroll November 15 to December 15 for a January 1 start.

45 CFR §147.104

Tax credits

  • The federal Small Business Health Care Tax Credit requires a SHOP plan, and Mississippi has none.
  • Mississippi's own credit rewards offering an ICHRA instead of a group plan: up to $400 then $200 per covered employee, first come first served.

IRS, Small Business Health Care Tax Credit; Mississippi HB 343 (2026)

Rating areas

Mississippi uses 6 county-based rating areas. Your group is priced in the area of your main business location.

CMS geographic rating areas

Mississippi small group health insurance FAQ

  1. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and UnitedHealthcare filed 2027 small-group plans.

  2. Proposed averages run from +2.4% to +17.8%, depending on the carrier. Regulators can still lower them.

  3. Their 2027 rate tables aren't public in the state's filing system. We can quote them for your group.

  4. No. A plan covering only an owner and spouse isn't a group health plan under federal rules. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi sells small-business plans to groups of 2 to 50.

  5. No. Neither Mississippi small-group carrier offered SHOP plans in 2026 or filed any for 2027.

  6. It's a state income tax credit from 2026's HB 343 for employers under 50 employees that offer an ICHRA instead of a group plan. It pays up to $400 per covered employee the first year and $200 the second. A $1 million statewide yearly cap applies.

  7. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi requested about 2.4% on average for 2027 after a 15% increase for 2026. The filing is still listed as Pending Review.

Small group health insurance in other states

Buying for yourself or your family instead? See the Marketplace plan directory.

Where these numbers come from

Reviewed by Jacob Guidi, licensed health insurance agent (NPN 19902041), Thrive Benefits Group.

Thrive Benefits Group is a licensed broker, not a carrier or government agency. Rates shown are filed 2027 rates for one employee before the employer contribution. Your group's quote depends on employee ages, location, plan choice and carrier rules. Proposed rate changes can still be lowered by regulators.