Cheapest Health Insurance in South Carolina: Affordable Plans for 2026

Ambetter is the cheapest health insurance provider in South Carolina, averaging $621 per month, $42 below the statewide average of $663. First Choice Next follows at $649, while Blue Cross Blue Shield and Molina Healthcare are also under the state average at $658 per month. UnitedHealthcare is the most expensive provider at $718, costing $97 per month more than Ambetter, or $1,164 more per year.

* Average monthly costs reflect each provider’s mean plan rate in South Carolina, rounded to the nearest dollar. Monthly savings compare each provider’s average rate with the statewide average.

Filter South Carolina health insurance plans by age, plan type and metal level to find rates that match your needs.

Blue Cross Blue Shield has the cheapest HMO plans in South Carolina at every metal tier except Gold, including a Bronze plan averaging $386 per month for a 40-year-old. Molina Healthcare has the most affordable Gold HMO in the state at $607 per month.

HMOs require you to choose a primary care physician who coordinates your treatment and provides referrals for specialist care. They don’t cover out-of-network services except in emergencies.

* Rates are based on state averages for 40-year-olds.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the only PPO provider in South Carolina, with average monthly rates ranging from $503 for Expanded Bronze to $758 for Gold for a 40-year-old. Its Silver plans are a better value than Gold for regular health care users. They averages $743 per month, $15 less than Gold, and have a lower deductible of $2,390 compared with $3,775.

PPO plans let you see in-network specialists without referrals and cover out-of-network care at a higher cost. This flexibility is valuable if you want to keep existing specialists, travel frequently or prefer not to coordinate care through a primary care physician.

* Rates are based on state averages for 40-year-olds.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is also South Carolina’s only EPO provider, with average monthly rates ranging from $476 for Expanded Bronze to $660 for Silver. EPO plans let you see specialists without a referral but don’t cover out-of-network care except in emergencies. This restriction helps keep premiums below comparable PPO rates.

EPOs are a good fit if you want lower monthly costs and your preferred doctors participate in the network. Confirm your providers' network status before enrolling, because nonemergency out-of-network care isn’t covered.

* Rates are based on state averages for 40-year-olds.

South Carolina residents looking for POS health insurance have only one provider: Blue Cross Blue Shield. Its rates start at $397 per month for Expanded Bronze plans. Frequent health care users may find its Gold plans worth the extra premium compared to Silver. It averages $621 per month, $49 more than Silver, but reduces the deductible from $3,121 to $1,500. The potential savings on medical care can outweigh the higher premiums.

POS plans require you to select a primary care physician and get referrals for specialists, but unlike HMOs, they allow some out-of-network coverage at a higher cost.

* Rates are based on state averages for 40-year-olds.

Blue Cross Blue Shield's Bronze HMO plans are the cheapest health insurance in South Carolina at every age we analyzed. Average premiums rise from $276 per month at age 18 to $386 at age 40, an increase of $110. The sharpest increase occurs from age 50 to 60, when the monthly rate climbs by $280 to $820. That increase alone is more than twice the total rise from age 18 to 40.

The plan’s $7,950 deductible and out-of-pocket maximum are the same across all age groups. Only the premium changes, reflecting how insurers charge older adults more for the same coverage.

* Rates are statewide averages for the most affordable option available at each age. Your rate will vary based on your location and plan.

We compared plans using annual medical spending estimates of low ($1,000), moderate ($5,000) and high ($20,000) before insurance payments. We rounded monthly premiums to the nearest dollar, multiplied them by 12 and added estimated out-of-pocket costs. Our estimates assume the policyholder pays the deductible followed by 20% coinsurance until reaching the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is South Carolina’s most affordable health insurance across all three medical spending scenarios we reviewed. For low healthcare usage, its Bronze HMO minimizes total costs at $5,632 per year. At $5,000 or more in medical expenses, its Gold HMO produces the lowest estimated total despite costing $226 more per month than its Bronze plan. Gold's lower cost-sharing offsets the additional premium.

* Your actual costs will vary based on copays, coinsurance, covered services and negotiated network rates.

The lowest premium doesn't always create the lowest overall cost. When researching affordable health insurance in South Carolina, compare premiums, deductibles, provider networks and available subsidies to find the best value for your expected medical needs.

South Carolina's health insurance market has dozens of plans across multiple price points. MoneyGeek analyzed federal marketplace data to find which insurers charge the least based on age, plan type and metal level.

Research Approach

Our rate analysis pulled plan-level data from the federal Health Insurance Marketplace for all metal tiers available to South Carolina residents in 2026, covering six carriers across five age groups: 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. We reviewed Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver and Gold plans across HMO, PPO, EPO, POS and HSA-eligible plan types. South Carolina has no Platinum-tier plans in the 2026 marketplace data. 

Why We Focus on 40-Year-Olds

We ranked insurers using rates for 40-year-olds, a midpoint in South Carolina’s working-age population. Using one age allows for direct comparisons without age-based pricing differences affecting the rankings.

Age-Specific Rankings

We also ranked insurers separately by age. The cheapest provider for a young adult may not offer be the cheapest for a 60-year-old, so these rankings help you find the most affordable option for your life stage.

All data comes from federal sources and includes every metal tier and plan type available to South Carolina residents through the Health Insurance Marketplace.