South Carolina long-term care insurance: cost & coverage
What long-term care costs in South Carolina, who regulates insurance here, whether the state has an LTC Partnership program, and how to compare quotes.
Who regulates long-term care insurance in South Carolina
Long-term care insurance policies sold in South Carolina are regulated by the South Carolina Department of Insurance. If you have a complaint about an agent, carrier, or policy, you can file it with the regulator directly.
What long-term care costs in South Carolina
Median assisted living cost in South Carolina vs. the national median:
| Location | Median / month | Approx. / year |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $5,081 | $60,972 |
| National median | $6,313 | $75,756 |
Source: SeniorLiving.org median assisted living costs, 2026. See costs for all 50 states for the full table.
What each type of care costs in South Carolina
Assisted living is only one of the settings people use. Median monthly costs across the main care types in South Carolina:
| Type of care | Median / month | Approx. / year |
|---|---|---|
| Home health aide | $5,602 | $67,224 |
| Assisted living | $5,081 | $60,972 |
| Nursing home (semi-private room) | $9,504 | $114,048 |
| Nursing home (private room) | $10,117 | $121,404 |
Source: SeniorLiving.org Cost of Care Research (2026)
South Carolina's LTC Partnership program
South Carolina has an active LTC Partnership program. South Carolina's LTC Partnership program (HHS-approved effective January 1, 2009) provides dollar-for-dollar Medicaid asset protection.
A Partnership-qualified policy lets you keep an extra dollar of assets, protected from Medicaid spend-down, for every dollar your policy pays out in benefits — see the note above for this state's current status. Learn more about how Partnership programs work.
How the Partnership program works in South Carolina
South Carolina's Long-Term Care Partnership Program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Insurance under S.C. Code Ann. Section 38-72-10 et seq. and Insurance Regulation 69-44, which defines a "Partnership policy" as one meeting the federal Long-Term Care Partnership Program standards created by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Because South Carolina's program follows those federal standards, a qualifying policy's protected assets carry reciprocity with other Partnership states — someone who buys a South Carolina policy and later relocates keeps the same Medicaid asset protection in their new state.
Source: South Carolina Department of Insurance, Insurance Regulation 69-44 (2010)
How South Carolina treats LTC premiums at tax time
South Carolina has no state income tax deduction or credit specifically for long-term care insurance premiums. What the state does offer is a separate, smaller Nursing Home Credit: a credit equal to 20% of amounts a taxpayer actually pays (not insures) for their own or another person's nursing-facility or in-home/community long-term care, capped at $300, with no carryover of unused credit and no credit allowed for expenses paid from public sources such as Medicaid or the VA.
Source: South Carolina Department of Revenue (2025)
This is general information, not tax advice. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional licensed in South Carolina.
Medicaid long-term care in South Carolina
South Carolina's Medicaid program, Healthy Connections, pays for long-term care for people who live in a licensed nursing facility or who receive services through a Home and Community-Based Services waiver, using the same eligibility standard for both. Applicants generally must be age 65 or older, blind, or disabled, and — effective January 1, 2026 — an individual's gross monthly income must be at or below $2,982 (300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate), with a spousal income allocation of $4,066.50.
Source: South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (2026)
How to compare quotes in South Carolina
- Confirm any agent or carrier you talk to is currently licensed to sell in South Carolina — the South Carolina Department of Insurance can confirm licensing status.
- Ask which products a carrier is actively writing in South Carolina today — availability changes state by state and year to year. See carriers we compare.
- If a Partnership-qualified policy matters to you, confirm with the carrier or agent whether a policy is currently certified as Partnership-qualified in South Carolina — see this state's Partnership status above.
- Compare traditional and hybrid options side by side — see traditional vs. hybrid coverage.
- Get quotes from more than one carrier; pricing for the same coverage can vary significantly.
Please note: Regulator names, complaint channels, and Partnership-program status can change. Confirm current details with the South Carolina Department of Insurance or a licensed agent before making any decision. LongTermCareInsurance411 is not a government agency and does not administer South Carolina's insurance regulations or Medicaid program.
Last updated: August 22, 2026
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