South Carolina CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program

Last verified: June 2026

Who qualifies for Partners for Healthy Children

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:

• 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

Source: SCDHHS Program Eligibility and Income Limits page, effective March 1, 2026. PHC authorized under Title XXI of the Social Security Act.

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.

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

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. In most states, it is a seamless part of the broader children's health coverage system alongside Medicaid.

What CHIP covers

Federal law requires CHIP to cover certain core benefits. States may add to the list. Standard CHIP coverage includes:

• Doctor visits, including well-child checkups and sick visits
• Hospital care — inpatient and outpatient
• Emergency room and urgent care services
• Prescription drug coverage
• Mental health and substance use disorder services
• Dental care — preventive and restorative
• Vision care, including eye exams and glasses
• Laboratory and imaging services
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or hearing aids when medically necessary

How to apply for South Carolina CHIP

Apply through South Carolina Medicaid (Healthy Connections) — the same application covers both Medicaid and CHIP. Online applications are typically fastest and allow document uploads. You can also apply by phone or in person at a local eligibility office.

See the how to apply page for the complete application process, required documents, and what to expect during review.