South Carolina Medicaid: Income Limits, Eligibility and How to Apply
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Healthy Connections Medicaid is South Carolina's Medicaid program, and it is run by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. South Carolina is one of ten states that have not adopted the Affordable Care Act expansion, which is the single most important fact about Medicaid here: adults without dependent children generally cannot qualify, whatever they earn. Children are covered through Partners for Healthy Children, and the application is at apply.scdhhs.gov or 888-549-0820. Every figure below is dated 2026-09-23.
| Program | Healthy Connections Medicaid |
|---|---|
| Children | Partners for Healthy Children |
| Agency | South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services |
| Apply | apply.scdhhs.gov · 888-549-0820 |
| Expansion | No |
| Plans | Most members are in a Healthy Connections Choices managed care plan. |
Who qualifies in South Carolina
Without the expansion, South Carolina Medicaid covers the groups federal law has always required and the ones the state has chosen to add: children under 19 (through Healthy Connections Medicaid and Partners for Healthy Children), pregnant women, parents and caretaker relatives at low incomes set by the state, people 65 and over, and people with disabilities, the last two with an asset test. There is no door for an adult without dependent children who is neither disabled nor 65, no matter how low the income.
That gap has a floor and a ceiling. Marketplace plans with premium tax credits begin at 100% of the poverty guideline, $15,960 a year for one person and $33,000 for four in 2026, and at that level the premium for a benchmark plan is close to zero. Below it, in South Carolina, an adult without children has neither Medicaid nor a subsidy. Health centers on a sliding fee and hospital financial assistance policies are the fallback; our emergency help page lists both.
| Household size | 100% of poverty, 2026 (marketplace subsidy floor) | 138% (what expansion would cover) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $22,025 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $29,863 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $37,702 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $45,540 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $53,378 |
How South Carolina compares
South Carolina is one of ten states without the expansion, with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Because there is no expansion group, the 2027 work requirement and six-month renewals largely pass it by. South Carolina uses the plain "Medicaid" name, so the card and letters say what they are.
How to apply for Healthy Connections Medicaid
- Apply online at apply.scdhhs.gov, or call 888-549-0820. HealthCare.gov also takes Medicaid applications and forwards them to South Carolina. There is no enrollment period; any day works.
- Report this month's income. Choose a plan when asked, or one is assigned.
A Healthy Connections Medicaid case also qualifies you for a free phone (South Carolina carriers, paperwork) and shares documents with South Carolina SNAP.
What changes in South Carolina
With no expansion group, the work requirement and six-month renewals in the 2025 law do not reach South Carolina. The nationwide changes are on the hub with CMS sources.
South Carolina specifics
- South Carolina has not expanded; adults without dependent children generally cannot qualify.
- Offices serve Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston and every county; hospitals and health centers also employ enrollment assisters.
Whether Healthy Connections Medicaid pays for dental or weight-loss drugs is South Carolina's choice; see does Medicaid cover.
Common questions
What is the Medicaid income limit in South Carolina for 2026?
There is no single limit, because South Carolina has not adopted the expansion. Children qualify through Healthy Connections Medicaid and Partners for Healthy Children at incomes well above poverty, pregnant women at higher incomes still, and parents only at very low incomes set by the state. Adults without dependent children who are not disabled or over 65 generally cannot qualify at any income. Above the state's limits, marketplace plans with premium tax credits start at 100% of poverty, $15,960 a year for one person.
Does South Carolina have a Medicaid work requirement?
No. The federal work requirement applies only to the expansion group, and South Carolina has none.
Sources
- Healthy Connections Medicaid: state program page
- HHS: 2026 poverty guidelines
- HealthCare.gov: Medicaid expansion and you (138%)
- Federal Register: community engagement interim final rule (June 3, 2026)
- CMS: 2025 law section-by-section overview
- KFF: status of state Medicaid expansion decisions (not an official source)
Gov-Grants.org is an independent guide, not a carrier and not a government agency. We never charge fees, and every fact above links to its source with the date we checked it. Program details change; confirm on the official site before applying.