Answers For South Carolina Health Insurance Questions

This is the place to begin to get answers for your South Carolina health insurance questions. If you have a question to which you can't find a clear answer, go to our Contact Us Page and send us an email.

If your issue is complicated and might require some research, a preliminary email request would be best. If you need personalized assistance and need to talk to someone, go to our Location Page and call us.

Get a Free, No-Obligation Quote:

Get a South Carolina Individual Health Insurance Quote.

Get a South Carolina Family Health Insurance Quote.

Get a South Carolina Short Term (COBRA Alternative) Health Insurance Quote.

Get a South Carolina Limited Benefit Health Insurance Quote.

Get a South Carolina Fitness Culture Proposal.

Get a South Carolina Group Health Insurance Quote.

South Carolina Department of Insurance - Director: Scott Richardson, CPCU

Location: 1201 Main Street, Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201

Mailing Address: P O Box 100105, Columbia, SC 29202

Email Address: info@doi.sc.gov

Telephone: 803 - 737 - 6160; Fax 803 - 737 - 6205

South Carolina State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP):

The South Carolina Health Insurance Pool (SCHIP) was created by the South Carolina General Assembly by Act 127 of 1989 in order to make health insurance coverage available to residents of South Carolina who are either unable to obtain health insurance because of a medical condition or whose premium for health coverage exceeds 150% of the Pool rate. South Carolina chose to enhance the SCHIP so that it meets the requirements of an acceptable alternative mechanism. This is known as the State Alternative Mechanism (SAM).

For more information on the South Carolina SCHIP programs, call the SCHIP Administrator at 1-800-868-2500, extension 46401, or go to the South Carolina SCHIP Webpage:

South Carolina Medicaid Health Insurance Program:

Medicaid is South Carolina's aid program by which the federal and state governments share the cost of providing medical care for needy persons who have low income.

South Carolina Medicaid is administered by the SC Department of Health & Human Services. For more information, go to the South Carolina Medicaid Webpage.

South Carolina Medicare Health Insurance Program:

The federal Medicare program pays most medical expenses for people 65 or older or for individuals under 65 receiving Social Security disability benefits. However, Medicare does not pay all expenses. As a result, you may want to buy a Medicare Supplement policy that helps pay for certain expenses, including deductibles not covered by Medicare.

For more information on the South Carolina Medicare programs, go to the South Carolina Medicare Webpage:

South Carolina Department of Health & Human Services: Emma Forkner, Director

P O Box 8206, Columbia, SC 29202; Telephone: 1-888-549-0820.

For more information on the various South Carolina health and human resources programs, go to the SC Department of Health & Human Resources Services Webpage:

South Carolina State Health Insurance Information Programs:

For more information on the various South Carolina health insurance programs, go to the SC Consumer Health Insurance Webpage:

South Carolina State Uninsurable Risk Pool Program:

The South Carolina Health Insurance Pool (SCHIP), created by the South Carolina General Assembly by Act 127 of 1989, offers health insurance coverage to residents of South Carolina who are unable to obtain health insurance because of a medical condition. You may also apply for the SCHIP coverage after the exhaustion of COBRA or State Continuation benefits.

The SC Risk Pool is funded by premiums collected from the plan members and assessment of insurance companies and HMOs operating in the state of South Carolina. The South Carolina Risk Pool is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina who one of their available individual health plans under the risk pool program.

For more information on the South Carolina uninsurable risk program, go to the SC Risk Pool Webpage.

Summary of Uninsurable Risk Pool and Benefits: A state health insurance "risk pool" is a state-sponsored health insurance program that provides health insurance coverage to individuals who are unable to obtain health care due to a pre-existing medical condition. For many people with pre-existing conditions, state risk pools are the only available option.

There are currently 18 states that do not have an uninsurable risk pool: Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

South Carolina State COBRA Facts:

COBRA is short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. This act requires that continuation of group insurance coverage be offered to covered persons who lose health or dental coverage due to a qualifying event as defined in the act.

A qualifying event allows insurance coverage or an extension of insurance coverage for an employee, spouse or dependent. Such events may be marriage, birth/adoption/placement, loss of group health plan coverage, divorce/legal separation, death of the covered employee, loss of dependent’s eligibility for coverage, etc.

For more information on whether South Carolina COBRA programs apply to you, go to the SC COBRA Continuation Coverage Webpage: