South Carolina
Cheapest ACA plans in Charleston, South Carolina for 2026
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Charleston is in Charleston County, South Carolina. 4 carriers sell 2026 ACA plans on Healthcare.gov for residents of Charleston County, and the cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in starts at $391/month before any subsidy. Carriers are licensed and rated at the county level, so the plans below cover everyone in Charleston County, including Charleston.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old in Charleston (Charleston County), 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).
| Tier | Cheapest age 40 monthly | Plans in Charleston County |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $391 | 2 |
| Expanded Bronze | $406 | 16 |
| Silver | $506 | 23 |
| Gold | $520 | 19 |
The actual cheapest Bronze plan in Charleston
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Blue Cooper Bronze 2
$391/moFor a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14): BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Blue Cooper Bronze 2 at $1,249/month before subsidies.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Charleston
4 carriers sell 2026 plans on Healthcare.gov for Charleston County residents; 1 additional carrier offers off-exchange-only plans (not subsidy-eligible). 114 plans total in Charleston County.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | 31 |
| Molina Healthcare of South Carolina, Inc. | 12 |
| Ambetter | 9 |
| First Choice Next | 8 |
Also selling off-exchange only
These carriers sell plans directly (not through Healthcare.gov). Off-exchange plans are not eligible for federal APTC or state subsidies.
| Carrier | Off-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| BlueChoice HealthPlan Inc. | 16 |
What you'll actually pay in Charleston
Estimated monthly net premium for the cheapest Bronze plan above ($391/mo before subsidy) on Healthcare.gov, after federal APTC. APTC is computed against the Charleston Countybenchmark Silver per 26 USC §36B. Approximate; exact net varies by plan's EHB% and child-rate structure.
Single 40-year-old
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 160% | $413/mo | $0/mo |
| $40,000 | 256% | $223/mo | $168/mo |
| $60,000 | 383% | $12/mo | $379/mo |
| $100,000 | 639% | — | $391/mo |
Family of 4 (two 40-year-olds, two children)
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 124% | $1,558/mo | $0/mo |
| $80,000 | 249% | $1,068/mo | $181/mo |
| $130,000 | 404% | — | $1,249/mo |
| $200,000 | 622% | — | $1,249/mo |
FPL = Federal Poverty Level. APTC = Advance Premium Tax Credit (the federal subsidy). Off-exchange and Catastrophic plans are not APTC-eligible. Enter your real income on the home page to see plan-specific net premium with the per-plan EHB-percent cap applied.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Charleston, South Carolina for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in is BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Blue Cooper Bronze 2 at $391 per month before subsidies. Plans sell through Healthcare.gov. Charleston is in Charleston County, South Carolina; carriers are licensed and rated at the county level. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does South Carolina use Healthcare.gov?
Yes. South Carolina participates in the federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), so enrollment and subsidy applications run through healthcare.gov. South Carolina does not operate a state-based exchange.
Has South Carolina expanded Medicaid?
No. South Carolina has not adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. Medicaid (Healthy Connections) for non-disabled adults is narrow (parents roughly below 67% FPL, pregnant women, and categorically needy groups), which leaves a coverage gap for low-income working adults without children.
How big is the South Carolina coverage gap?
Estimates of the South Carolina coverage gap vary, but tens of thousands of adults earn below 100% FPL and are not eligible for Medicaid under state rules. They also cannot receive federal premium tax credits because APTC starts at 100% FPL. Options include federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), hospital charity care, and county indigent-care programs.
More South Carolina pricing
Sources
- HealthCare.gov for enrollment, OEP dates, and federal APTC / CSR application.
- South Carolina Department of Insurance for state regulatory oversight of individual-market filings and rate review.
- South Carolina Healthy Connections (Medicaid) for state Medicaid eligibility categories under non-expansion rules.
- KFF: South Carolina State Health Facts for Medicaid expansion status, coverage gap estimates, and enrollment counts.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.