Medicare by State
Free Medicare Help South Carolina: SHIP Counseling and Savings Programs
South Carolina SHIP gives free, one-on-one Medicare counseling through the Department on Aging at 1-800-868-9095. Healthy Connections Medicaid can pay your $202.90 Part B premium if your 2026 income is at or below $1,796 a month and resources are under $9,950.
- South Carolina SHIP and the Senior Medicare Patrol share one free line: 1-800-868-9095.
- The 2026 QMB, SLMB and QI limits for one person are $1,330, $1,596 and $1,796 a month, effective March 1, 2026.
- South Carolina keeps a resource limit of $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple.
- You can apply online at apply.scdhhs.gov or call Healthy Connections at (888) 549-0820.
Table of Contents
Free Medicare help South Carolina residents can use starts with one phone number: the South Carolina Department on Aging’s line, 1-800-868-9095. It reaches both the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which gives free one-on-one counseling, and the Senior Medicare Patrol, which fights fraud. For money help, the state’s Medicaid agency, Healthy Connections, runs the Medicare Savings Programs that can pay your Part B premium. This guide covers who to call, the 2026 limits, what each program pays and how to apply.
Free Medicare help South Carolina offers: the programs at a glance
Each program has a different job. Some give advice. Others lower what you pay.
| Program | Run by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina SHIP | SC Department on Aging, with local Area Agencies on Aging | Free, one-on-one Medicare counseling, plan comparisons, billing and appeal help |
| Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) | SC Department on Aging | Helps you prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud, errors and abuse |
| Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI) | SC Department of Health and Human Services (Healthy Connections Medicaid) | Part B premium; QMB also pays co-pays and deductibles |
| Extra Help | Social Security and Medicare | Lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays |
You can use more than one at a time. A South Carolina SHIP counselor can check you for all of the cost programs in one conversation, and that counseling is itself free Medicare help South Carolina offers to people on Medicare.
South Carolina SHIP: free, one-on-one Medicare counseling
The Department on Aging’s Medicare and Medicare fraud page says South Carolina SHIP offers free, one-on-one insurance counseling to Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers. Counselors can:
- Answer questions about Medicare benefits and coverage.
- Help you compare and enroll in Medicare Advantage (Part C) and drug (Part D) plans.
- Explain Medigap policies and how retiree insurance works with Medicare.
- Help with Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs and the Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help).
- Help resolve billing problems, explain appeal rights and connect you with low-income assistance.
How to reach a counselor. Call the Department on Aging toll-free at 1-800-868-9095, or locally at (803) 734-9900. The department’s page says you can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging. Its resource site, GetCareSC.com, has a “Find Service Providers” search for local agencies.
Good times to call South Carolina SHIP are a few months before you turn 65, before Open Enrollment ends on December 7, when a plan sends a change notice you don’t understand, and any time a Medicare bill looks wrong. Family members and caregivers can call, too, since the program names them among the people it serves.
2026 Medicare Savings Program South Carolina limits
The Medicare Savings Program South Carolina runs has three levels. The SC Department of Health and Human Services’ program eligibility and income limits page lists these figures, with income limits effective March 1, 2026:
| Level | Income test | Individual, per month | Couple, per month | Resource limit (individual / couple) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | At or below 100% FPL | $1,330 | $1,804 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) | Above 100%, at or below 120% FPL | $1,596 | $2,164 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| QI (Qualifying Individual) | Above 120%, at or below 135% FPL | $1,796 | $2,435 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
South Carolina still uses a resource test. The page says SLMB and QI applicants must have countable resources below $9,950 for an individual or $14,910 for a couple, and the QMB table shows the same amounts. In yearly terms, the QMB income limit is $15,960 for one person and $21,640 for two.
To qualify, you must be entitled to Medicare Part A. SLMB and QI are for people who are not otherwise eligible for full Medicaid.
Figures are from the SC Department of Health and Human Services and CMS as of October 15, 2026, and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with Healthy Connections Medicaid or a licensed agent.
What each level pays. SCDHHS describes the benefits of the Medicare Savings Program South Carolina offers this way:
- QMB: payment of Medicare premiums, co-pays and deductibles. In 2026 that covers the $202.90 monthly Part B premium and the $283 Part B deductible, per the CMS fact sheet.
- SLMB and QI: the state says Healthy Connections is required to pay the Medicare Part B premium only. People at these levels do not receive a Medicaid card.
Every level also brings federal Extra Help with drug costs automatically, according to Medicare.gov.
The steps between levels are small. Only $266 a month separates the individual QMB and SLMB limits, and $200 separates SLMB and QI. The income limits took effect March 1, 2026, so a cost-of-living raise or a new year’s figures can move you to a different level. Ask to be rechecked each year.
If your income is at or below 100% FPL and you are 65 or older, blind or disabled, SCDHHS also lists an Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD) group with the same $1,330 and $9,950 figures, which brings all Medicaid-covered services.
Extra Help with Part D drug costs
Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy, lowers what you pay for a Medicare drug plan. Medicare.gov lists these 2026 limits:
| Household | Yearly income limit | Resource limit |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $23,940 | $18,090 |
| Married couple | $32,460 | $36,100 |
For 2027, Medicare.gov lists copays of up to $5.80 for each generic drug and $14.40 for each brand-name drug. People with full Medicaid in the QMB program pay no more than $4.90 per covered drug. You get Extra Help automatically if you have full Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program, or SSI.
If you don’t qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, apply for Extra Help directly through Social Security online or at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Our Medicare Extra Help guide and Medicare Part D guide explain the details. We did not find a separate state-run drug assistance program on the official South Carolina pages we reviewed, so Extra Help is the main source of drug cost help here.
Hypothetical example: what free Medicare help South Carolina offers could be worth
Hypothetical example. Two households in Florence each have Original Medicare and savings under South Carolina’s resource limits.
Earl lives alone. His countable income is $1,550 a month. That is above the $1,330 QMB limit but at or below the $1,596 SLMB limit, so he may qualify for SLMB.
- Part B premium paid for him: $202.90 a month.
- Yearly savings: $202.90 × 12 = $2,434.80.
- With Extra Help, two generic drugs a month would cost at most 2 × $5.80 × 12 = $139.20 in 2027 copays.
Mae and Henry are married. Their countable income is $2,300 a month. That is above the $2,164 SLMB couple limit but at or below the $2,435 QI couple limit. If both have Part B, QI pays both premiums:
- Monthly: 2 × $202.90 = $405.80.
- Yearly: $405.80 × 12 = $4,869.60.
These are illustrations, not eligibility decisions. Only Healthy Connections Medicaid can decide, and other facts can change the result. But they show that free Medicare help South Carolina provides can be worth thousands of dollars a year.
How to apply through Healthy Connections Medicaid
SCDHHS’s Getting Started page lists several ways to apply to Healthy Connections Medicaid:
- Online. The state calls its online application at apply.scdhhs.gov the easiest way to apply.
- By phone. Call (888) 549-0820 (TTY 888-842-3620).
- In person. Visit your county’s local eligibility office. The Where to Go for Help page lists each county office, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The state also says you can apply at federally qualified rural health centers and most hospitals.
- By mail. Print form FM 3400 and send it with your documents to SCDHHS-Central Mail, P.O. Box 100101, Columbia, SC 29202-3101.
Have your Social Security award letter, pension statements, bank statements and Medicare card ready. SC Thrive, at (800) 726-8774, can also help you fill in the application, the state says, and a South Carolina SHIP counselor can walk you through it. That hands-on support is some of the most useful free Medicare help South Carolina has.
Common mistakes include assuming a small pension rules you out, not reapplying after the March 1 update, and skipping Part B to save money. Our guide to the Part B late enrollment penalty explains why that can cost more later.
Reporting Medicare fraud in South Carolina
The Department on Aging says the Senior Medicare Patrol helps Medicare beneficiaries, families and caregivers prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. It looks into concerns and refers cases to state and federal agencies. To report, call 1-800-868-9095 or contact your local Area Agency on Aging. The national SMP Resource Center lists the same number for the South Carolina SMP.
Medicare.gov says to call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) about suspected fraud, or 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379) about a Medicare Advantage or drug plan. It reminds you that Medicare will never call to sell you anything or visit your home.
Checklist: getting free Medicare help in South Carolina
- Call South Carolina SHIP at 1-800-868-9095 to book free counseling.
- Gather your Medicare card, drug list, doctors’ names, income letters and bank statements.
- Compare your monthly income with the QMB, SLMB and QI limits above.
- Check that your countable resources are under $9,950 (one person) or $14,910 (couple).
- Apply through Healthy Connections Medicaid online, by phone, in person or by mail.
- If you’re over the limits, apply for Extra Help through Social Security.
- Check your sign-up window with our Medicare enrollment calculator; if your income is high, see our IRMAA calculator.
- Read every Medicare Summary Notice and call the SMP if something looks wrong.
Free Medicare help South Carolina: frequently asked questions
What is the SHIP phone number in South Carolina?
Call the South Carolina Department on Aging at 1-800-868-9095, or (803) 734-9900. You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
What are the 2026 Medicare Savings Program income limits in South Carolina?
SCDHHS lists $1,330 a month for QMB, $1,596 for SLMB and $1,796 for QI for one person, effective March 1, 2026. For couples, the limits are $1,804, $2,164 and $2,435.
Is there a resource limit?
Yes. South Carolina lists $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a couple for the Medicare Savings Programs.
Will I get a Medicaid card with SLMB or QI?
No. SCDHHS says SLMB and QI members do not receive a Medicaid card, because the program pays only the Part B premium.
Can I apply online?
Yes. SCDHHS says its online application at apply.scdhhs.gov is the easiest way to apply to Healthy Connections Medicaid. You can also apply by phone, in person or by mail.
Does SHIP help with life insurance?
No. SHIP covers Medicare and related health coverage. For South Carolina life insurance rules, see our life insurance South Carolina guide.
Talk with a licensed agent after you get free help
Octans Insurance is an independent agency based in Massachusetts. Our licensed agents compare plans from 120+ carriers, at no fee to you, and we’re glad to work alongside your SHIP counselor. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, call South Carolina SHIP at 1-800-868-9095, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Keep Reading: Related Guides
- Life insurance in South Carolina
- Medicare Extra Help
- Medicare IRMAA calculator
- Medicare enrollment calculator
- Medicare Advantage plans in South Carolina (2027)
- Unclaimed life insurance in South Carolina
- South Carolina Medicaid burial rules
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
This article is for general information and is not tax, legal, or medical advice.
About examples and tools: Hypothetical examples, sample rates, calculators and quizzes on this site are for general educational and illustrative purposes only. They are not quotes, offers of coverage, or guarantees of eligibility, approval, price or benefits, and they are not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. The insurance company decides eligibility and price; Medicare rules are set by CMS and the Social Security Administration. Octans Insurance is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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