Ranked 3 of 15 states · median $636/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old wedding planner 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 counties covered, South Carolina ranks 14 of 15 for this occupation.
Coverage that only works where you sleep is not coverage if you spend the week elsewhere. The binding question is whether the plan pays out of area at all, and beyond emergencies many HMOs simply do not. States below are ordered by network reach, with the no-PPO states flagged.
Occupational context: Long standing hours; lifting; high-stress event days.
None of that changes your price. ACA plans in South Carolina are community rated — premium varies by age, ZIP code, tobacco use and household size only. Your occupation cannot be used to rate you, decline you, or exclude a condition. What it changes is which plan design is the right bet.
Premium is set by rating area, so a wedding planner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | $542 | InStil Health | $6,500 | 4 |
| Allendale | $553 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 4 |
| Beaufort | $578 | Ambetter from Absolute Total Care | $6,000 | 3 |
| Lexington | $592 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $7,900 | 3 |
| Abbeville | $456 | Ambetter from Absolute Total Care | $6,000 | 3 |
| Charleston | $506 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 4 |
The spread across just these six is $136/month — $1,630 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 reach | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Counties in the state | 46 |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 (0%) |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, POS, PPO |
| PPO available on exchange | Yes |
| Carriers filing in the state | 6 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $456 — Abbeville |
South Carolina has PPO plans available. For a wedding planner covering distance, that single fact outweighs premium: 0 of 46 counties here are served by one carrier, so an HMO bought in one metro may leave you out of network for the rest of your route.
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 wedding planner weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Travel, liability insurance, samples, software. Premiums are generally deductible above the line under IRC §162(l) when no employer plan is available to you or your spouse — a question for your CPA, not your agent.
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 Wedding Planners in South Carolina and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.