Information on Medicaid in South Carolina

In South Carolina, you may be eligible for Medicaid if you are an infant, a child, pregnant, the parent of a dependent child, elderly, or disabled and your family income meets the Medicaid income standards.
Income eligibility levels for some of these categories are detailed below.  Your assets and some expenses also may be taken into account, so you should contact the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for more information.

Low income persons eligible for Medicaid in South Carolina*
Category                  Income eligibility (as percent of federal poverty level)
Infant                          185% (monthly income of about $2,647 for family of 3)
Child 1-19                   150% (monthly income of about $2,146 for family of 3)
Pregnant woman       185%
* Eligibility information was compiled from State Health Facts Online, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and may have changed since this guide was published.  Contact your state Medicaid program for the most up to date information and for other eligibility requirements that may apply.
Size of Family Unit              Poverty Guideline (annual income)
              1                                       $10,890
2                                       $14,710
3                                       $18,530
So, for example, using this guideline, 185% of the federal poverty level for a family of 3 would be an annual income of $34,284 or a monthly income of about $2,647.

(Sources:  http://www.scdhhs.gov/incomelimitations.asp; http://healthinsuranceinfo.net/getinsured/south-carolina/financial-assistance/medicaid/)

If you don’t qualify for Medicaid and are not sure you can afford health insurance, you might also consider short-term health insurance (much cheaper catastrophic protection for 1-11 months) or a limited benefit plan for help with basic healthcare expenses. More on those options later.