Cheapest ACA plans in South Carolina for 2026

Cheapest plans by metal tier

Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, on-exchange, before any subsidy. Per-age figures derived from the CMS QHP Landscape file using the HHS standardized age-rating curve (45 CFR 147.102).

The actual cheapest plan in major counties

Same data the search returns: carrier, plan name, monthly premium, individual deductible, individual MOOP. Computed for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.

The actual cheapest plan for a family of four

Two 40-year-old adults and two kids in the 0-14 age band, before any subsidy. Carrier, plan name, premium, deductible, and MOOP exactly as the search would return them.

Subsidies: federal APTC only (no state premium subsidy)

South Carolina does not operate a state-funded premium assistance program, state reinsurance program, or §1332 waiver for the individual market. Marketplace help is federal only:

1. Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL on the PY2026 standard ACA contribution curve. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026, so the hard 400% FPL cliff is back and subsidized net premiums are meaningfully higher than PY2025 for most enrollees.
2. Federal cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Households 100-250% FPL enrolled in a Silver plan receive reduced deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums automatically.

South Carolina has not adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. South Carolina Medicaid (Healthy Connections) for non-disabled adults is narrow: eligibility is generally limited to parents below roughly 67% FPL, pregnant women, and categorically needy groups. Adults 19-64 with income below 100% FPL who do not fit these categories sit in the coverage gap: ineligible for Medicaid and ineligible for federal APTC.

Catastrophic plans in South Carolina follow federal rules

South Carolina follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic plans are available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal auto-expansion applies: adults 30+ automatically qualify when the lowest-cost Bronze plan exceeds the affordability threshold. APTC does not apply to Catastrophic plans.

Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in South Carolina

South Carolina applies the federal ACA default (45 CFR 147.102): carriers may charge tobacco users up to 50% more than non-users (a 1.5-to-1 rate ratio). The South Carolina Department of Insurance reviews rate filings under S.C. Code Title 38. No South Carolina-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion of the premium.

Carriers selling 2026 plans in South Carolina

9 carriers, 5,053 plans across 46 counties. 2,518 sold on Healthcare.gov, 2,535 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (an independent BCBS licensee) carries most of the statewide individual market and is often the only on-exchange carrier in rural counties. Ambetter (Celtic), UnitedHealthcare, and Molina compete in Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach / Horry.

Enrollment

Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 effective date; December 16 through January 15 takes effect February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.

Direct enrollment: healthcare.gov.

Frequently asked questions