South Carolina CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program
Updated August 2026
The Partners for Healthy Children program covers uninsured children whose family income falls within the CHIP range. A child qualifies if they meet all of the following:
208% FPL
Partners for Healthy Children income ceiling
Under 19
Age group covered
$5,720/mo
Family-of-4 monthly income limit
South Carolina's CHIP program is called Partners for Healthy Children
South Carolina's children's coverage is called Partners for Healthy Children — it covers children up to 208% FPL. South Carolina's CHIP program operates as part of the Healthy Connections program under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Children under 19 in households earning up to 208% of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for Partners for Healthy Children (PHC). The monthly income limit for a family of four is $5,720.00, effective March 1, 2026. Apply at apply.scdhhs.gov.
Who qualifies for Partners for Healthy Children
- Under 19 years of age
- South Carolina resident
- U.S. citizen, national, or qualified noncitizen
- Social Security number (or proof of application)
- Household income at or below 208% FPL (effective March 1, 2026)
- Not enrolled in or eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance or other creditable coverage
Income limits for Partners for Healthy Children (March 2026)
Source: SCDHHS Program Eligibility and Income Limits, effective March 1, 2026 (208% FPL threshold). Annual amounts are approximate. Verify at scdhhs.gov.
| Family size | Monthly income limit | Annual income limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,766.40 | ~$33,197 |
| 2 | $3,750.93 | ~$45,011 |
| 3 | $4,735.46 | ~$56,825 |
| 4 | $5,720.00 | ~$68,640 |
| Each additional member | +$984.53/mo | +~$11,814/yr |
1
- Monthly income limit
- $2,766.40
- Annual income limit
- ~$33,197
2
- Monthly income limit
- $3,750.93
- Annual income limit
- ~$45,011
3
- Monthly income limit
- $4,735.46
- Annual income limit
- ~$56,825
4
- Monthly income limit
- $5,720.00
- Annual income limit
- ~$68,640
Each additional member
- Monthly income limit
- +$984.53/mo
- Annual income limit
- +~$11,814/yr
What Partners for Healthy Children covers
Children enrolled in PHC receive full Medicaid covered services through one of the SCDHHS contracted MCOs. Coverage is equivalent to the full Healthy Connections Medicaid benefit — not a reduced CHIP benefit — because South Carolina uses Medicaid expansion funds for children through the CHIP Title XXI program.
- Well-child visits and developmental screenings
- Immunizations on the recommended schedule
- Dental care — comprehensive, including orthodontics when medically necessary
- Vision care and eyeglasses
- Mental health services and behavioral health treatment
- Primary care, specialist care, and hospital services
- Prescriptions
- Emergency and urgent care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Cost-sharing for Partners for Healthy Children
Cost-sharing under the Partners for Healthy Children program is minimal for most families. Small co-payments may apply to some services for higher-income CHIP enrollees. Preventive care, immunizations, and well-child visits typically have no co-pay. Federal CHIP rules cap total annual out-of-pocket costs for CHIP families at 5% of household income.
How to apply
Apply for Partners for Healthy Children at apply.scdhhs.gov, by calling 1-888-549-0820, or at a local SCDHHS county office. The same application is used for all Healthy Connections programs — the system automatically determines whether a child qualifies for standard Medicaid or the CHIP program based on family income.
SC Thrive (scthrive.org) offers free application assistance across South Carolina. If you have applied at healthcare.gov and were determined eligible for CHIP, your application is transferred to SCDHHS automatically.
What CHIP is nationally
CHIP — the Children's Health Insurance Program — is a federal-state partnership that covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. Congress created CHIP in 1997 under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Like Medicaid, CHIP is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, and each state administers its own program.
CHIP serves children up to age 19 (some states cover to 21 for children in foster care). It is not available to adults — CHIP is specifically designed to address the coverage gap for children in working families. Nationally, CHIP covers approximately 7 million children, according to CMS data.
South Carolina Medicaid (Healthy Connections)
- SCDHHS application portal: apply.scdhhs.gov
- SCDHHS phone line: 1-888-549-0820
- SC Thrive (free application assistance): scthrive.org
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