How To Find the Best Health Insurance in South Carolina

You can find the best deals on health insurance in South Carolina by collecting and comparing quotes from multiple health insurance companies. Health insurance isn’t required in South Carolina but it’s still generally a good idea to enroll in a plan that can protect you from medical debt in case of an accident or sudden illness.

Continue reading for more details about South Carolina health insurance such as when you are allowed to sign up for coverage and what options you should consider if you’re looking to cut costs.

On This Page

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  Is Health Insurance Required in South Carolina?

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  South Carolina Health Insurance Rankings

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  How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in South Carolina?

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  What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in South Carolina by City?

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  Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in South Carolina?

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  When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in South Carolina?

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  What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in South Carolina?

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  How To Get Health Insurance in South Carolina

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  FAQs

Is Health Insurance Required in South Carolina?

In practice, health insurance is not required by law in South Carolina. Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) established a requirement for all taxpayers to carry health insurance, the federal government removed the tax penalty for uninsured individuals after the 2018 tax year and there is no state-level penalty for South Carolinians.^[1]

South Carolina Health Insurance Rankings

A state-by-state analysis conducted by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that South Carolina has a subpar health care system, ranking 37th out of 51 overall. While South Carolina’s health system is one of the best in the nation at preventing avoidable hospital expenses, the Palmetto State performed poorly in every other overarching dimension considered in the analysis. The below table includes South Carolina’s specific rank for each of the study’s dimensions.^[2]

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in South Carolina?

Residents of South Carolina can often expect to pay slightly above-average prices for health insurance, as it costs $492 per month to enroll in a Marketplace benchmark health plan in South Carolina, compared to $477 per month countrywide. Meanwhile, it costs an average of $360 per month to enroll in the cheapest available bronze plan in South Carolina, $490 to enroll in the cheapest silver plan and $513 to enroll in the cheapest gold plan.^[3]

Cheapest Health Insurance Options in South Carolina

When comparing health insurance plans in different tiers, also known as categories or metal levels, the cheapest options are usually plans in the bronze tier. While these plans will require you to pay a large amount in deductibles, copays and coinsurance, they have low monthly premiums, making them ideal for people with minimal expected health care needs.^[4]

Also, you could pay less in premiums and out-of-pocket costs by opting for a health maintenance organization (HMO) over a preferred provider organization (PPO). Keep in mind that, if you enroll in an HMO, you won’t be covered if you visit a specialist without a referral or receive health care services from an out-of-network provider in a nonemergency situation.^[5]

What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in South Carolina by City?

Below, you’ll find a list of median health insurance rates for 30-year-olds with an income of $40,000 per year living in the county seats of five major counties in South Carolina. The listed quotes do not consider actual premiums after taking premium tax credits into account.^[6]

Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in South Carolina?

In general, Ambetter is the cheapest option for health insurance in South Carolina. The upcoming table includes a list of health insurance companies that offer silver-tier coverage to 40-year-olds in South Carolina for less than $750 per month.^[7]

When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in South Carolina?

Since South Carolina takes advantage of the federal Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov, South Carolinians can sign up for Marketplace coverage during the federal open enrollment period lasting from November 1 to January 15. If you want your coverage to start at the beginning of the new year, then you’ll need to submit your application by December 15.^[8]

Once open enrollment has passed, you will need to qualify for a special enrollment period to sign up for a Marketplace plan before the next open enrollment period. Some of the major life events that can trigger a special enrollment period include getting married, having a child and moving to a new home.^[8]

What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in South Carolina?

Some of the main types of health insurance that South Carolinians may be able to enroll in include the following:

• Marketplace health insurance
• Private coverage purchased directly from an insurance company such as short-term health insurance
• Employer-sponsored group health insurance
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) continuation coverage
• Medicare
• Healthy Connections (includes Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits
• Student health plans

How To Get Health Insurance in South Carolina

Comparing health insurance quotes from around three to five different health insurers maximizes your odds of finding a good deal on the coverage you need. Of course, contacting insurance carriers one by one to provide them with the information they need to generate a quote for you can be quite a slog.

For a much easier comparison shopping process, consider using SmartFinancial. All you have to do is let us know about your coverage needs and budget through a basic questionnaire and then we’ll get you in touch with agents who can help you compare rates. If you’d like to request free health insurance quotes today, you can click here.