Medicaid
Public health insurance for low-income people, jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, pregnancy, and children's care. States run it under federal rules, and each state has its own name and details (California calls it Medi-Cal).
Key difference in this state
๐ด๐ South Carolina has NOT adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion โ like Texas, so SC Medicaid (branded 'Healthy Connections') has no category for low-income adults in general. It covers only narrow groups: children under age 19 (through Partners for Healthy Children, up to 213% FPL), pregnant women and infants under age 1 (up to 199% FPL), parents/caretaker relatives of a dependent child (at a very low 67% FPL), and people who are aged, blind, or disabled (SSI-linked / up to 100% FPL). So a low-income adult in SC who is not pregnant, not raising a dependent child, and not aged/blind/disabled generally has NO Medicaid pathway at all โ this has nothing to do with immigration status; it is true for U.S. citizens too. For immigrants: SC's own official eligibility pages state that each covered person must be 'a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident Alien.' ๐ด Read that carefully โ the full federal 'qualified non-citizen' category is broader than green-card holders (it also includes refugees, asylees, and others; see the federal Medicaid program details, including the five-year bar and the 2025 OBBBA changes). Do not assume you are excluded just because you are not an LPR โ confirm your specific status with SCDHHS. Two doors stay open regardless of immigration status: (1) Emergency Medicaid, a federal requirement in every state, pays for emergency care (including labor and delivery) for people who meet every other requirement but lack a qualifying immigration status โ check details with SCDHHS. (2) Prenatal care regardless of status: some immigrant-benefit references indicate SC MAY cover prenatal care for the unborn child through the CHIP 'unborn child' option regardless of the mother's immigration status โ but we did NOT find this confirmed in SCDHHS's official eligibility documents, so we neither assert nor rule it out; a pregnant immigrant should verify directly with SCDHHS (1-888-549-0820). We did not find any SC state-funded Medicaid fill for immigrants excluded by the federal rules (reported honestly; not a claim that none can exist). This is a changing area โ verify with SCDHHS.
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Public health coverage for children in families whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage. It is jointly funded by the federal and state governments (Title XXI of the Social Security Act). Each state designs and runs its own program under federal rules โ as a separate CHIP, as a Medicaid-expansion CHIP, or both โ so the name, income limits, and details differ by state (state eligibility levels range from about 170% to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level). Besides children, some states' separate CHIP programs also cover pregnant women.
Key difference in this state
๐ด South Carolina runs its CHIP as a Medicaid-expansion (combined) program, NOT a separate standalone CHIP โ so it is shown here merged into the Healthy Connections Medicaid page rather than as its own program. SC's CHIP is 'Partners for Healthy Children' (PHC), authorized under Title XXI of the Social Security Act and delivered through Medicaid; it covers children under age 19 in families with income up to 213% FPL (the SCDHHS public page states the base as 208% FPL; the extra ~5 points are the mandatory MAGI income disregard). On immigration, SC's official eligibility materials state a child must be 'a U.S. Citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident Alien.' ๐ด The full federal qualified-non-citizen list is broader than green-card holders โ do not assume exclusion; confirm status with SCDHHS. ๐ด๐ด Prenatal pathway for pregnant immigrants: unlike Texas (which has an explicit, regardless-of-status CHIP Perinatal), we did NOT find official SCDHHS confirmation that South Carolina offers a regardless-of-immigration-status prenatal / 'unborn child' pathway. Some immigrant-benefit references (e.g., national advocacy maps) indicate SC MAY cover prenatal care regardless of the mother's status through the CHIP unborn-child option โ we neither assert nor deny this; a pregnant immigrant should verify directly with SCDHHS at 1-888-549-0820. This is a changing area โ verify with SCDHHS.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, "food stamps")
Monthly food benefits that help low-income households buy the food they need. Benefits come on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card โ EBT has been the sole method of SNAP issuance in all states since June 2004 โ which you swipe like a bank card at authorized grocery stores. The benefit amount is based on the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan, updated each year to keep pace with food prices, and depends on your household size and how much monthly income is left after certain expenses are deducted. It is a federal program (USDA Food and Nutrition Service), but state public assistance agencies run it through their local offices โ you must apply in the state where you currently live, so the application and the local name vary by state (California calls it CalFresh). Benefits generally arrive no later than 30 days after the office receives your application; households with little or no money that need help right away may get benefits within 7 days.
Key difference in this state
South Carolina SNAP is the federal SNAP, run by the SC Department of Social Services (DSS), with benefits issued on an EBT card (swipe it like a bank card at authorized stores). On immigration status, SC applies the federal SNAP rules โ including the 2025 OBBBA (H.R.1) Section 10108 narrowing of non-citizen eligibility, and the green-card five-year wait with its exemptions (these are program-level federal rules; see the federal SNAP program details and its statutory alert โ this row does not repeat them). SC DSS states plainly that 'Each eligible SNAP household member must be a United States citizen or meet non-citizen requirements,' with non-citizen status verified through the federal SAVE system. ๐ด One honest and important conclusion: we did not find any South Carolina state-funded food benefit for immigrants excluded by the federal rules, the way California has CFAP (reported honestly as 'not found,' not a claim that none can exist). So immigrants in SC who are cut off by the federal rules generally have no state-funded backstop. A mixed-status household can still apply for SNAP for the eligible members (such as U.S. citizen children); members who are not applying generally do not have to give their immigration status for the eligible members to benefit โ rely on the official SC DSS guidance for specifics. This is a changing area โ verify with DSS.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Nutrition support for pregnancy and early childhood. In USDA's own words, WIC "serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care." Coverage runs from pregnancy until a child turns 5: pregnant women; postpartum women (up to 6 months after the end of a pregnancy); breastfeeding women (up to the infant's first birthday); infants; and children up to their fifth birthday. Every applicant first gets a free, simple health check by WIC staff, and must be individually determined to be at nutrition risk by a health professional โ two major types are recognized: medically-based risks such as anemia, underweight, a history of pregnancy complications, or poor pregnancy outcomes; and dietary risks such as inappropriate feeding practices or failure to meet the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Food benefits come on an eWIC card, which works just like a debit card and can be used at WIC-approved grocery stores and farmers' markets. Benefits are not limited to food: they also include health screening, nutrition and breastfeeding counseling, immunization screening and referral, and substance abuse referral. It is a federal program (USDA), but in USDA's words, "while funded through grants from the Federal Government, WIC is administered by 89 State agencies," with services at county health departments, hospitals, schools, Indian Health Service facilities, and other clinic locations โ you apply through a WIC agency in your area, so the local name and process vary. Moms, dads, foster parents, and anyone else raising kids under 5 can apply for the kids in their care.
Key difference in this state
๐ The federal layer leaves the immigration-status question to the states (the federal WIC rule lets a state choose whether to limit WIC by immigration status โ see this program's federal rule; this row does not repeat it). South Carolina has not adopted such a limit: immigration status is not among the eligibility requirements shown on the SC Department of Public Health (DPH) WIC pages, which list income, being in one of the WIC categories (pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding women, infants from birth to age 1, and children ages 1 to 5), a nutritional need WIC can help with, and living in South Carolina. ๐ An honest note on how far SC's own words go: unlike Texas โ whose HHSC page affirmatively says "U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for eligibility" โ the SC DPH WIC pages we reviewed make no such explicit statement, and we do not manufacture one (reported honestly as "not found on SC's pages," not a claim that the rule is different). A no-immigration-status-test for WIC, WIC not being a public charge factor, and no required SSN are the federal norm (see this program's federal rule). Two things you can read straight from South Carolina's own materials: DPH says "If you are a father, mother, grandparent, foster parent, or other legal guardian of a child under 5, you can apply for WIC for your child," and "If you currently receive Medicaid, TANF, or SNAP, you already meet the income eligibility requirements." Policy can change โ call SC WIC at 1-855-472-3432 or check with your local WIC clinic.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
A refundable federal tax credit for low- to moderate-income working people and families. In the IRS's words, the EITC "helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break. If you qualify, you can use the credit to reduce the taxes you owe โ and maybe increase your refund." The key word is refundable โ as the IRS puts it, "This is a refundable credit, so you can get back more than you pay in taxes." In plain terms: you can get money back even if you owe no tax at all. You must have earned income (wages, salary, tips, or self-employment income), and you claim it on your federal tax return โ there is no separate application form, no office to visit, and no waiting list. The credit is larger if you have qualifying children, but workers without any children can also get a smaller version. For tax year 2025 (the return you file in 2026), the maximum credit is $649 with no qualifying children, $4,328 with one, $7,152 with two, and $8,046 with three or more. The tax year 2025 income cutoffs (adjusted gross income) are $19,104 (single, head of household, married filing separately, or qualifying surviving spouse) or $26,214 (married filing jointly) with no children; $50,434 / $57,554 with one child; $57,310 / $64,430 with two; and $61,555 / $68,675 with three or more. Investment income must be $11,950 or less for tax year 2025. These amounts are adjusted every year โ rely on the IRS tables for the year you are actually filing. This is a purely federal program, administered directly by the IRS under one nationwide set of rules; states have no role in the federal EITC. But note: separately from this federal credit, many states and some local governments run their own state EITC, usually set as a percentage of the federal credit, varying in whether it is refundable, and sometimes with different rules โ see your state's details.
Key difference in this state
๐ด๐ Two honest facts, and please hold both. (1) South Carolina DOES have a state earned-income credit, and its rate is high. SC has a state personal income tax (you file the SC1040), and S.C. Code Ann. Section 12-6-3632 creates a state earned income credit; the SCDOR states it verbatim: "S.C. Code Ann. ยง 12-6-3632 provides a full-year resident individual a nonrefundable South Carolina earned income tax credit. The credit is equal to 125% of the federal earned income tax credit allowed the taxpayer under I.R.C. ยง 32." So do not assume SC has no state EITC โ it does, at 125% of the federal credit, one of the highest state-EITC rates in the country and larger than the federal credit itself. (2) ๐ด But read the two limits carefully, because the 125% figure is easy to over-read. First, the SC credit is nonrefundable: it can only cancel South Carolina income tax you actually owe โ it never pays you cash back. Unlike California's refundable CalEITC, a very-low-income family that owes little or no SC income tax gets almost nothing in hand even if they qualify and even though it is "125% of the federal credit" on paper โ because there is no SC tax to offset. The lower your income and the more you could use the money, the more likely you are to get less than the full amount. Second, the SC credit is bootstrapped onto the federal EITC: SCDOR says plainly, "You should first claim the EITC on your federal return; if you are not eligible for and do not claim the federal credit, you cannot claim the South Carolina EITC," and it is open to full-year SC residents only. ๐ด What this means for immigrant families โ the ITIN gap is NOT closed: the federal EITC requires a Social Security number valid for employment for the filer, the spouse, and each qualifying child (a federal rule โ see this program's federal rule and rely on the IRS), so a family that files with ITINs cannot claim the federal EITC; and because the SC credit rides on the federal one, that family's SC credit is 125% of $0 โ nothing. SC did not decouple its credit from the federal SSN requirement the way California's CalEITC does. ๐ด Note the boundary: this is SC's own credit, claimed on your SC return; it does not make you eligible for the federal EITC and does not change your immigration status. Verify your own situation with SCDOR and the IRS.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly federal cash payment from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for people who have very little income and few resources AND who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability (children can qualify too). To get SSI, your countable resources must stay under $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. It is run directly by the federal government under one nationwide standard โ the 2026 maximum federal payment is $994/month for an individual and $1,491/month for a couple โ and some states add a small state supplement on top.
Key difference in this state
๐ด The federal layer is not repeated here: federal SSI's strict non-citizen rules (a qualified-alien category, the further conditions, the five-year bar, and that OBBBA did not change SSI's non-citizen rules) live on the shared ssi program page. This row carries only what is specific to South Carolina, and answers one key question honestly: does South Carolina have a CAPI-style immigrant cash route like California's? (1) SC's only state SSI supplement is Optional State Supplementation (OSS), funded and run by the SC Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS): the SCDHHS page states OSS is "A state-funded program designed to help low-income persons meet basic living needs not fully covered by the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provided in licensed Community Residential Care Facilities (CRCFs)," and one eligibility criterion is to "Be a resident in a licensed and enrolled CRCF and have an authorized slot." So an aged, blind, or disabled person living in their own home receives, in South Carolina, essentially federal SSI itself with no state add-on โ OSS covers only people who live in a CRCF. (2) ๐ด Does South Carolina then have a CAPI-style immigrant program that fills the gap for those excluded by immigration status? We did not find one โ on the sources we checked, we did not find a dedicated South Carolina state program that pays SSI-equivalent cash to aged, blind, or disabled immigrants excluded from federal SSI solely by immigration status (CAPI, on the sources we checked, is a California program). This is "we did not find a dedicated program," not a guarantee there is none: check with the Social Security Administration (SSA, for federal SSI), SC SCDHHS, and your county Department of Social Services (DSS) office about any local help โ do not rule yourself out. ๐ด Note also: OSS is itself a state-funded cash-type supplement, and one of its eligibility criteria is to "Be a citizen of the United States of America or meet certain citizenship requirements" โ a person who does not meet that status should take their specific status directly to SCDHHS/DSS and not rule themselves out by guessing.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) gives time-limited monthly cash assistance and work supports to low-income families with children, to help them achieve economic security and stability. The federal government sends each state a block grant, and each state designs and runs its own TANF program under its own name (California calls it CalWORKs) with its own benefit amounts and rules. States set the monthly cash amount, add work-participation requirements, and set time limits within the federal 60-month (5-year) lifetime cap on federally funded assistance. Besides the monthly cash grant, TANF also funds services such as childcare, job training, and transportation.
Key difference in this state
๐ด The federal layer is not repeated here: TANF's federal immigrant rules (undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federally funded TANF; the five-year bar for most qualified aliens; which categories are exempt; and that OBBBA did not change TANF's immigrant rules) live on the shared tanf program page. This row carries the South Carolina specifics and answers one key question honestly: does South Carolina use state funds to cover TANF-excluded immigrants the way New York's Safety Net Assistance (SNA) does? On the sources we checked: SC TANF requires the applicant to be a U.S. citizen or a certain "qualified alien" โ SC DSS's TANF frequently-asked-questions page states an applicant must be "a citizen of the United States (U.S.) or meet certain alien status requirements (qualified aliens - Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. Refugees and Asylees)," i.e. citizens, green-card holders, refugees, and asylees. ๐ด Read that carefully โ South Carolina's own wording expressly lists refugees and asylees as qualifying, so do not assume you are excluded just because you are not a green-card holder; the full federal "qualified alien" category and the five-year bar live on the shared tanf page, and you should take your specific status to SC DSS. ๐ด Does South Carolina then have a route like New York's SNA that uses state funds to pay TANF cash to those excluded from federally funded TANF by status? We did not find one โ on the South Carolina official sources we checked, we did not find a state-funded fallback that pays cash to people outside the citizen / qualified-alien statuses above. This is "we did not find a state-funded cash route," not a guarantee either way: check with SC DSS (1-800-616-1309) about what you specifically may get (and whether eligible members of your household โ for example a citizen child โ can receive a payment on their own) โ and do not rule yourself out.
Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Unemployment Insurance is temporary weekly cash paid to workers who lost their job through no fault of their own, to help you get by while you look for the next one. It is funded by taxes paid by employers (federal FUTA and state SUTA) โ workers generally do not pay into it. It is a joint federal-state program: each state runs its own unemployment insurance program under shared federal rules, so eligibility, the weekly amount, and how many weeks you can receive vary by state. You apply in the state where you worked. To qualify you generally must be unemployed through no fault of your own, meet a work-and-wages threshold in a "base period," and be currently able to work, available to work right away, and actively looking for work. The first payment usually arrives two to three weeks after you file.
Key difference in this state
๐ด Unemployment Insurance is an earned, insurance-type benefit, not a means-tested public benefit โ see this program's federal rule (why it is generally not subject to PRWORA's "qualified alien" / five-year-bar rules, and the OBBBA federal-funding limit on high earners with $1,000,000+ base-period wages, both live there and are not repeated here). This row carries only the immigration points as South Carolina applies them. The SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) requires that you be lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.: DEW's Claimant Handbook lists, among what to have to apply, "If you are not a U.S. Citizen, your alien registration number and documentation," and its "Eligibility for UI Benefits" section states you may be ineligible if you "Are not legally authorized to work in the United States." ๐ The key is here: South Carolina UI does not look at how high your household income is, but it does require lawful work authorization โ and to collect you must also be unemployed through no fault of your own, able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work. State rules differ โ rely on the state where you worked (here, South Carolina's DEW).
Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher
The Housing Choice Voucher โ commonly called "Section 8" โ is federal rental assistance that helps very-low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities rent decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the program is run locally by public housing agencies (PHAs), usually state or local government entities. You find your own rental unit that meets program housing-quality standards; after the PHA approves the unit and tenancy, it pays the rent subsidy directly to the landlord. If the rent is at or below the local "payment standard," you generally pay about 30 percent of your adjusted monthly income toward rent, and the subsidy covers the rest. It is the nation's largest rental-assistance program, helping about 2.3 million families. Because funding is limited, many areas keep a waiting list.
Key difference in this state
๐ด There is no separate South Carolina state immigrant rule for Section 8 that expands beyond the federal rule. Section 8 is HUD-funded, and SC State Housing (SC Housing) and the regional/local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) all apply HUD's federal noncitizen rules: at least one household member must have an eligible immigration status, and "mixed" families can receive prorated assistance rather than being turned away entirely. Those federal rules live on this program's shared federal page and are not repeated here. HUD's South Carolina state page summarizes eligibility as determined by the PHA "based on total annual gross income and family size, U.S. citizenship and specified categories of non-citizens." Status is verified by your PHA under HUD rules. We did not find a statewide South Carolina state-funded rental-voucher program with its own, different immigrant rule to add here; check your exact situation with your local PHA or housing agency. This row does not claim any state expansion beyond the federal rule.
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay their home energy costs โ mainly heating (winter) and cooling (summer) bills, plus energy-crisis aid (for example, when you face a shutoff or need reconnection), light home weatherization, and minor heating-equipment repair or replacement. It is a federally funded block grant managed by the Office of Community Services within HHS (HHS/ACF/OCS), and then run by each state, territory, and tribe, which set their own eligibility rules and application process. ๐ด LIHEAP does not send cash directly to individuals and never charges a fee; you apply through your state's or tribe's energy-assistance agency. The federal income ceiling is 150% of the poverty level, or 60% of state median income if that is higher; many states also grant "categorical eligibility" to households that receive TANF, SSI, SNAP, or needs-tested veterans' benefits.
Key difference in this state
๐ด๐ด South Carolina LIHEAP does have a citizenship / legal-residency requirement โ it is not "open to everyone regardless of status." By South Carolina's own LIHEAP State Plan (FFY 2025, ยง17.3 "Citizenship/Legal Residency Verification"), the state's procedures are for "ensuring LIHEAP recipients are U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens who are eligible to receive LIHEAP benefits." This means: ๐ qualified non-citizens can receive it โ the plan states "Non-Citizens must provide documentation of immigration status," that green cards, visas, or proof of the right to work in the state are accepted, and that non-citizen status is verified through the SAVE system; that category tracks the federal PRWORA "qualified alien" groups (lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and others), described on the shared federal page and not repeated here. But South Carolina also states that "Applicants are required to provide ... proof of U.S. Citizenship/Legal Residency for all household members," which is stricter than states that require only one household member to qualify. ๐ด๐ด So guard both errors: (1) do not assume SC LIHEAP is "open to all regardless of status" โ it requires citizen or qualified-non-citizen status and verifies it per person; and (2) do not assume a household with a non-citizen member is automatically excluded โ a qualified non-citizen can receive it, and how a mixed-status household is treated must be decided case by case. Check your exact situation (especially for a mixed-status household) with the Community Action Agency (CAA) in your county, and rely on their official determination.
This page lists only the programs we've covered so far โ it does not mean these are the only benefits in this state.