South Carolina health insurance plans
How individual and family health coverage works in South Carolina, in plain language.
ACA Open Enrollment opens November 1st
Take a look at South Carolina plans, or go ahead and enroll yourself when it opens. Call if you need any help with your application.
Where South Carolina residents shop
South Carolina residents who buy their own coverage shop on HealthCare.gov (federal Marketplace) at www.healthcare.gov/south-carolina/. That is also where income-based help with monthly premiums (premium tax credits) is applied. Enrollment follows the federal HealthCare.gov calendar.
South Carolina's Medicare counseling program uses a distinctive name, I-CARE, rather than a generic SHIP label, and is run through the state's Office on Aging rather than the Department of Insurance -- worth knowing since some other states run this exact function directly out of their insurance regulator instead.
Enrolling
Open enrollment dates are set by the marketplace and can change from year to year, so confirm this year’s window on the marketplace site before you plan around it. Outside open enrollment you generally need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving, or a change in household size.
What affects the plans you see
- Where you live. Plans and premiums are set by area within South Carolina, so your county matters. Find your county.
- Income and household size. These determine help with premiums and whether you may qualify for Medicaid instead.
- Plan level. Metal levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) trade a lower monthly premium against higher costs when you use care.
Healthy Connections, administered by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), has a member contact center at (888) 549-0820 -- that's the right place to start if your South Carolina Medicaid eligibility changed.
South Carolina does not run its own ACA exchange, so South Carolina marketplace shopping and subsidy questions go through the federal HealthCare.gov Marketplace.
South Carolina's free Medicare counseling program goes by the name I-CARE (Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders) at 800-868-9095, run through the state's Office on Aging and separate from South Carolina Insurance Plans's own free phone help.
Questions
Where do I shop for ACA health plans in South Carolina?
South Carolina residents shop through HealthCare.gov (federal Marketplace) (https://www.healthcare.gov/south-carolina/). An independent agent such as Lander LLC can explain the plans for you, but the marketplace is the only place premium tax credits are applied.
How do I apply for Medicaid in South Carolina?
Medicaid in South Carolina is run through Healthy Connections (SC Department of Health and Human Services) (https://www.scdhhs.gov). Eligibility depends on income, household size and other factors, and it is decided by the state, not by an insurance agency.
Who regulates insurance in South Carolina?
South Carolina Department of Insurance (https://doi.sc.gov) regulates insurance companies and agents in South Carolina. You can use it to check that an agent or company is licensed and to file a complaint.
Is there free, unbiased Medicare help in South Carolina?
Yes. I-CARE (Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders) (800-868-9095) offers free Medicare counseling through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), separate from any insurance agency.
Does South Carolina Insurance Plans cost anything to use?
There is no cost to call or to speak with an agent. Insurance premiums and plan costs are set by the insurance companies and are separate from our help.
Questions about South Carolina health plans? Call 855-367-1095
Call Lander LLC to go over your options. There is no cost to call or to speak with an agent, and you are never required to enroll in anything.
Call 855-367-1095Reviewed by Richard Lander, licensed insurance agent (NPN 21255551), Lander LLC. Last updated October 3, 2026. This page is educational and is not a quote, an offer of coverage, or legal or tax advice.