Private Health Plans for the Self-Employed in South Carolina

I am an independent, licensed health insurance broker, and I am licensed in South Carolina. If you are self-employed, a 1099 contractor, or a freelancer, this page covers the options that sit outside the Marketplace — what is actually available in South Carolina, what the trade-offs are, and when a private plan is the wrong answer. There is no fee for my help. The insurance company pays the broker, not you.

South Carolina law allows short-term plans to run up to 36 months including renewals.

South Carolina at a glance for the self-employed

South Carolinians shop on HealthCare.gov. The same six carriers are selling for 2026 and 2027: Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Ambetter, Molina, Select Health, UnitedHealthcare and InStil Health. About 588,000 people picked a plan for 2026, down 7%.

• Wide 2027 rate spread. Carriers proposed an average increase of about 17% for 2027, but filings range from about 11% to about 46%. Which carrier you are with matters more than usual this year.
• No Medicaid expansion. About 63,000 South Carolina adults are in the coverage gap, with too little income for a tax credit and no Medicaid eligibility.
• Subsidies were large. Subsidized South Carolina enrollees averaged about $579 a month in help in 2026 and paid about $76. Above the 400% line, you pay the full price.

The 400% line matters more here than most people expect. For 2027 the credit stops above $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four, and there is no phase-out. See the full 2027 income limits.

Your private options in South Carolina

• Short-term plans. South Carolina allows short-term coverage for up to 36 months including renewals. That length makes them tempting, but they usually exclude pre-existing conditions and often leave out prescriptions and maternity, so read the benefit summary line by line.
• Medically underwritten private plans. Health questions up front, often lower premiums for healthy applicants, broad PPO networks, and applications accepted any month.
• Supplemental coverage. Accident, critical-illness and hospital plans can soften a high deductible. How it works.

When private is the right call in South Carolina, and when it is not

With six carriers on HealthCare.gov for 2027 and proposed 2027 increases averaging about 17%, a healthy South Carolina freelancer or business owner over the subsidy line often saves real money with a private plan.

Stay with HealthCare.gov if you have an ongoing condition, are pregnant or planning to be, take expensive prescriptions, or qualify for a meaningful tax credit. If that is you, I will say so.

The tax piece

Most self-employed people can deduct their health insurance premiums, which also lowers the income that counts toward a subsidy. How it works for 1099 workers.

South Carolina questions I hear a lot

Which carriers sell Marketplace plans in South Carolina?

Six for 2026 and 2027: Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Ambetter, Molina, Select Health, UnitedHealthcare and InStil Health.

How much are South Carolina premiums going up for 2027?

Carriers proposed an average of about 17%, but individual filings range from about 11% to about 46%.

Did South Carolina expand Medicaid?

No. About 63,000 adults are in the coverage gap.

What if I earn more than 400% of the poverty level in South Carolina?

You pay the full Marketplace price. For healthy applicants a private medically underwritten plan is often cheaper. I compare both at no cost.

Posey Health Solutions · National Producer Number 20609967 · licensed in South Carolina and 30 other states. This page is general information, not advice about a specific plan, and it is not tax advice. Plan availability, carrier participation, and duration limits vary by county, carrier, and plan year, and the rules can change.