South Carolina · Plan year 2027 · Updated October 24, 2026
South Carolina health insurance for 2027
South Carolina residents buy marketplace coverage through HealthCare.gov (the federal marketplace). Open enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and a plan picked by December 15, 2026 starts January 1. South Carolina has not expanded Medicaid.
| Where to enroll | HealthCare.gov |
|---|---|
| 2027 open enrollment | November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 |
| Last day for Jan 1 coverage | December 15, 2026 |
| Medicaid expansion | No |
| State coverage mandate | No |
| Short-term plans | Allowed with state limits shorter than federal maximums |
What a plan costs in South Carolina
In Allendale County, the median-priced county in South Carolina, the benchmark silver plan cost a 40-year-old $557 a month in 2026. Across 46 counties it ran from $461 (Abbeville) to $665 (Anderson). 2027 prices will be different.
A single 40-year-old in Allendale earning $39,900 (250% of the poverty line) would get about $269 a month in 2027 credit against that price. At 60 the same plan is priced near $1,182, and the credit grows to about $894, because the amount you're expected to pay depends on income, not age.
Medicaid and CHIP limits in South Carolina
Yearly income limits in 2026 dollars. Medicaid checks current monthly income, so divide by 12 for the monthly figure.
| Group | % of poverty line | 1 person | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults without children | - | - | - | - | - |
| Parents | 67% | $10,693 | $14,499 | $18,304 | $22,110 |
| Pregnancy | 199% | $31,760 | $43,064 | $54,367 | $65,670 |
| Children under 1 | 213% | $33,995 | $46,093 | $58,192 | $70,290 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 213% | $33,995 | $46,093 | $58,192 | $70,290 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 213% | $33,995 | $46,093 | $58,192 | $70,290 |
| CHIP | - | - | - | - | - |
Adults without children cannot get Medicaid on income alone here. An adult under 100% of the poverty line is in the coverage gap: no Medicaid and no marketplace credit. At 100% ($15,960 for one person) the credit starts.
Benchmark and lowest prices by county
Monthly premiums for one 40-year-old non-smoker, before any credit, plan year 2026. Your credit is figured from the benchmark (second-lowest-cost silver) column. Multiply by 2.12 for a 60-year-old and 0.78 for a 21-year-old.
| County | Benchmark silver | Lowest bronze | Lowest silver | Lowest gold | Insurers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville | $461 | $357 | $456 | $476 | 3 |
| Aiken | $534 | $405 | $531 | $545 | 3 |
| Allendale | $557 | $433 | $553 | $568 | 4 |
| Anderson | $665 | $507 | $662 | $733 | 3 |
| Bamberg | $503 | $390 | $498 | $520 | 3 |
| Barnwell | $515 | $430 | $512 | $526 | 3 |
| Beaufort | $585 | $400 | $578 | $605 | 3 |
| Berkeley | $556 | $427 | $553 | $568 | 4 |
| Calhoun | $557 | $432 | $551 | $576 | 5 |
| Charleston | $509 | $391 | $506 | $520 | 4 |
| Cherokee | $644 | $466 | $641 | $690 | 5 |
| Chester | $596 | $462 | $590 | $616 | 5 |
| Chesterfield | $559 | $468 | $558 | $609 | 4 |
| Clarendon | $586 | $421 | $582 | $598 | 4 |
| Colleton | $570 | $456 | $567 | $582 | 4 |
| Darlington | $531 | $425 | $529 | $567 | 4 |
| Dillon | $559 | $433 | $553 | $578 | 4 |
| Dorchester | $566 | $381 | $564 | $592 | 4 |
| Edgefield | $504 | $391 | $498 | $521 | 3 |
| Fairfield | $536 | $416 | $530 | $554 | 5 |
| Florence | $544 | $416 | $542 | $592 | 4 |
| Georgetown | $499 | $336 | $497 | $522 | 3 |
| Greenville | $592 | $399 | $590 | $620 | 3 |
| Greenwood | $497 | $392 | $494 | $508 | 3 |
| Hampton | $558 | $398 | $555 | $570 | 4 |
| Horry | $498 | $336 | $497 | $522 | 3 |
| Jasper | $546 | $408 | $540 | $565 | 3 |
| Kershaw | $520 | $351 | $518 | $544 | 5 |
| Lancaster | $605 | $496 | $601 | $617 | 5 |
| Laurens | $588 | $417 | $582 | $608 | 4 |
| Lee | $536 | $416 | $530 | $555 | 4 |
| Lexington | $593 | $401 | $592 | $621 | 3 |
| Marion | $551 | $399 | $545 | $570 | 4 |
| Marlboro | $588 | $448 | $584 | $600 | 4 |
| McCormick | $500 | $379 | $497 | $510 | 3 |
| Newberry | $552 | $428 | $546 | $571 | 4 |
| Oconee | $551 | $371 | $550 | $577 | 2 |
| Orangeburg | $530 | $357 | $528 | $555 | 2 |
| Pickens | $586 | $394 | $584 | $613 | 3 |
| Richland | $571 | $386 | $569 | $598 | 4 |
| Saluda | $571 | $405 | $565 | $590 | 4 |
| Spartanburg | $642 | $494 | $641 | $701 | 4 |
| Sumter | $538 | $377 | $537 | $576 | 3 |
| Union | $644 | $462 | $641 | $696 | 5 |
| Williamsburg | $521 | $374 | $515 | $538 | 4 |
| York | $614 | $480 | $613 | $653 | 4 |
Get a reminder before South Carolina's deadline
Email onlySources: HealthCare.gov and CMS state marketplace list (exchange and dates); MACPAC MACStats, February 2026, and state Medicaid agencies (limits); HHS 2026 poverty guidelines; CMS individual market plan file on data.healthcare.gov, plan year 2026; IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26. All checked October 24, 2026. Methods.
Questions people ask
When is open enrollment in South Carolina for 2027?
HealthCare.gov opens November 1, 2026 and closes January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1.
What is the Medicaid income limit in South Carolina?
South Carolina has not expanded Medicaid. Adults without children generally cannot qualify on income alone. Parents qualify up to 67% of the poverty line ($18,304 a year for a family of three).