Ranked 3 of 15 states · median $636/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old physical therapist in South Carolina pays a median $636/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 3th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $456 from Ambetter from Absolute Total Care in Abbeville. On median Silver premium, South Carolina ranks 3 of 15 for this occupation.
Patient-facing and on-your-feet work produces steady, predictable claims — routine visits, refills, physical therapy, the occasional urgent care. That profile is decided by copay design and by whether your providers are in network, not by the sticker premium, so carrier count sits alongside cost below.
Occupational context: Lifting and transfer injuries; chronic back strain.
Worth being clear about what this does and does not affect: a carrier in South Carolina cannot ask what you do for a living, cannot charge a physical therapist more than a librarian of the same age in the same ZIP, and cannot exclude anything you were already treated for. Occupation only tells you which plan structure to shop for.
Premium is set by rating area, so a physical therapist in one South Carolina county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee | $550 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 2 |
| Dorchester | $564 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 4 |
| Pickens | $584 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 3 |
| Cherokee | $641 | First Choice Next | $6,000 | 5 |
| Horry | $497 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 3 |
| Kershaw | $518 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 5 |
The spread across just these six is $144/month — $1,726 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $456 to $931. Coverage by County publishes all 46 South Carolina counties individually.
| South Carolina — network and cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median Silver premium @40 | $636 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $456 — Ambetter from Absolute Total Care (Abbeville) |
| Most expensive Silver @40 | $931 |
| Carriers filing in the state | 6 — Ambetter from Absolute Total Care, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, First Choice Next, InStil Health |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, POS, PPO |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 of 46 |
South Carolina has 6 carriers filing and 0 of 46 counties served by a single issuer. For a physical therapist with an established provider relationship, that carrier count is the number that decides whether you keep your doctor.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 2,518 plan records across 46 South Carolina counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Indiana ($558), Ohio ($625). More expensive: Alabama ($680), Wisconsin ($687), Michigan ($708).
Side-by-side: South Carolina vs Indiana · South Carolina vs Ohio · South Carolina vs Alabama · South Carolina vs Wisconsin
Cross-state numbers are useful for understanding whether South Carolina is treating you well, not for arbitrage. You cannot buy an out-of-state exchange plan. If you are a physical therapist weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
Deduction categories that generally fit this trade: Licensing, equipment, malpractice insurance, CE. Note the ordering problem with health premiums: the §162(l) deduction lowers your AGI, and your AGI is what sets your premium tax credit, so the two calculate against each other. That is a CPA conversation and worth having before you enroll, not after.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in South Carolina is $456 per month from Ambetter from Absolute Total Care, with a state median of $636. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Under the ACA, carriers cannot rate, decline, or exclude based on occupation or health history. Rates vary only by age, ZIP code, tobacco use and household size.
Yes. Plan types filed for 2026: EPO, HMO, POS, PPO.
South Carolina ranks 3 of 15 states covered here, at a median $636 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For South Carolina specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Physical Therapists in South Carolina and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.