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The South Carolina State House and its dome in downtown Columbia on a sunny day

Columbia · Richland County, South Carolina

Columbia health insurance broker. For young adults getting their first plan.

Free help for young adults in Columbia who need a plan of their own. Turning 26, leaving school, or starting a job with no health plan? We compare HealthCare.gov plans for your Columbia ZIP code. We are licensed in South Carolina.

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Photo: "South Carolina State House" by Thomas Kirchel, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original. This edited version is also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Questions we hear

Your first plan
on your own?

Half of Columbia residents are younger than about 29, the Census Bureau reports. Young adults here ask us these.

“I turn 26 soon. When does my parent's plan end?”

It depends on the plan. If it is a Marketplace plan, you can stay on it through December 31 of the year you turn 26. A job plan may end sooner, so ask the plan.

“I just started working. Can I get help with the cost?”

Maybe. A tax credit is based on what you expect to earn in 2027 and who is in your household. We figure it with you.

“I'm healthy. Do I need much coverage?”

That is up to you. We show plans with lower monthly prices next to plans with lower deductibles, so you can weigh both.

Columbia by the numbers

The capital city
of South Carolina.

Columbia is mostly in Richland County, with a part in Lexington County. The Census Bureau provides these figures.

About 140,000

Columbia residents in the 2020-2024 Census count.

$55,529

sits at the middle of Columbia household incomes.

About 46 in 100

of Columbia households own the home they live in.

About 29

is the middle age of people in Columbia.

About 12 in 100

of Columbia workers do most of their work at home.

About 9 in 100

of Columbians below age 65 had no health plan.

About 12 in 100

of Columbians 19-64 bought their one and only plan.

Source for Columbia: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B01003, B19013, B25003, B01002, B08301, B27010). Your plans, prices, and tax credit depend on your ZIP code, household, and income.

Paul Daniels
Paul DanielsLicensed health advisor · NPN 20986580

How we help

First-plan help
in Columbia.

You'll see South Carolina plans from more than one insurer on the same screen. We explain words like deductible and copay as we go.

Losing a parent's plan when you turn 26 usually opens a 60-day window to sign up. You don't have to wait for open enrollment.

If you start a job that offers a plan later in the year, you can usually end your own plan when the job plan begins.

Near campus or across the river, each Columbia plan lists its own doctors and hospitals. We find out if yours are on the list.

  • Help for young adults buying their first plan
  • Licensed in 20 U.S. states · Agent NPN 20986580
  • You do not pay us for our help. We are paid by the insurance companies when you enroll. Your price for a plan is the same whether you use us or sign up on your own. Commissions can differ by company.

How it works

Three steps
to your own plan.

Your ZIP code

Where you live in Columbia, and your age.

Your 2027 pay

A job, side work, or school plans.

Choose a plan

Prices and doctors, side by side.

Book a 15-minute call
Free · No obligation · About a 15-minute call

What you get

A plan that is
all yours.

Your own plan goes with you from job to job. After our call, you'll have:

  • South Carolina plans that sell in your Columbia ZIP code
  • A short guide to deductibles and copays
  • Your likely 2027 tax credit, if any
  • The date to enroll, December 15, 2026, to be covered January 1, 2027

Straight answers

Columbia health insurance questions.

When is open enrollment in South Carolina for 2027?

People in South Carolina enroll at HealthCare.gov. As of October 27, 2026, that site says the 2027 open enrollment period starts November 1, 2026, and ends January 15, 2027. A court case about these dates, City of Columbus v. Kennedy, is still in the courts. Check HealthCare.gov for the latest dates. To be covered on January 1, finish by December 15.

Has South Carolina expanded Medicaid?

No. South Carolina is on the KFF list of states that have not adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, as of October 27, 2026. The state calls its Medicaid program Healthy Connections.

Can I stay on my parent's plan if I'm married or not in school?

Often yes. HealthCare.gov says you can usually stay on a parent's job plan until 26 even if you marry, leave school, or move out.

Do I need a plan if I'm a student?

Some schools offer a student plan. We can set it next to a HealthCare.gov plan so you can see the costs.

What if my parent's plan ends in the middle of the year?

Losing that coverage usually gives you 60 days to pick a plan. Pick before it ends and your new plan can start right after.

Does Columbia cross a county line?

Yes. Most of the city is in Richland County, and some of it is in Lexington County.

What do I need for the call?

Just your ZIP code, your age, your best estimate of 2027 pay, and any doctors or drugs you use.

Will a plan pay for a yearly checkup?

Under current law, Marketplace plans must cover a set of preventive care, such as a yearly wellness visit, with no copay in the network.

More help

Health insurance for young adults Turning 26 and health insurance Student health insurance All areas we serve

Open enrollment starts November 1

Comparing plans in Columbia?

Bring your questions to a free 15-minute call, or start a quote online. It's up to you.

Book a 15-minute callGet a quote online

By the Daniels Health Advisors team (agent NPN 20986580). Local facts checked October 27, 2026.

Disclaimer

Daniels Health Advisors LLC is an independent insurance brokerage—not HealthCare.gov, CMS, a state agency, a state insurance department, or an insurance company. Availability, premiums, networks, deductibles, and subsidies vary by zip, household, and plan year. Nothing here is medical, legal, or tax advice, or a guarantee of savings, approval, any-doctor access, or a “best” plan. For tax questions, talk with a tax professional. Official: HealthCare.gov. To check an agent's license, contact your state's insurance department. Columbia / Richland and Lexington Counties, South Carolina.