Free, plain-English help for seniors and families in South Carolina. Education, not advice. Verify before you rely on it.
Start here (works anywhere in South Carolina)
- 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local rent, utility, food, and medical help, 24/7
- Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116, the federal front door to your Area Agency on Aging
- BenefitsCheckUp.org screens you for every benefit you may qualify for
- Medicare 1-800-633-4227 | Social Security 1-800-772-1213 | VA Benefits 1-800-827-1000
- Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline 1-800-272-3900 | National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-372-8311 | Crisis Lifeline 988
Free Medicare counseling (South Carolina SHIP)
South Carolina runs the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), branded locally as I-CARE (Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders) and coordinated through the South Carolina Department on Aging, with counselors at the local Area Agencies on Aging. SHIP/I-CARE gives free, unbiased one-on-one help with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, enrollment, appeals, and fraud questions. Reach it through the South Carolina Department on Aging at 1-800-868-9095, find your local counselor at GetCareSC.com, or use the national SHIP locator at shiphelp.org (1-877-839-2675).
Medicaid in South Carolina
South Carolina's Medicaid program is called Healthy Connections, run by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). Apply online at apply.scdhhs.gov, by phone through the Healthy Connections Member Contact Center at 1-888-549-0820 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), or in person at your county SCDHHS office. SC Thrive can help you fill out the application for free. Healthy Connections can help pay Medicare premiums and long-term care costs for those who qualify.
Prescription help
South Carolina does not run a broad state pharmaceutical assistance program that pays a fixed share of drug costs for all seniors. Start with South Carolina SHIP/I-CARE at 1-800-868-9095, which screens you for Medicare Extra Help (the Low-Income Subsidy) and helps you apply. You can also use BenefitsCheckUp.org to find manufacturer and nonprofit patient assistance programs for specific medications.
Energy and utility help
South Carolina runs LIHEAP through the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) in coordination with local Community Action Agencies. The program helps pay home heating and cooling costs and provides energy crisis help. To apply, contact your local Community Action Agency (find it through the OEO directory at oeo.sc.gov), the OEO at 803-734-0662, or dial 211. Both homeowners and renters may apply.
Property tax relief (South Carolina)
- South Carolina Homestead Exemption (S.C. Code Section 12-37-250), through your county auditor and the SC Department of Revenue: this program exempts the first $50,000 of the fair market value of your legal residence from property tax. To qualify you must be age 65 or older (or totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind) as of December 31 of the year before the tax year, have been a legal resident of South Carolina for at least one year, and hold the home as your primary residence under the 4 percent legal-residence assessment ratio. Apply with your county auditor's office, or online through the SC Department of Revenue's MyDORWAY portal. There is no income limit for this exemption.
- Note: a separate bill to expand senior property tax relief was moving through the South Carolina General Assembly in early 2026. As of this writing it is a pending proposal, not current law, so the $50,000 Homestead Exemption above remains the program in force. Confirm the current year's rules with your county auditor.
Food, in-home help, caregiver, transportation, and legal help
South Carolina's Area Agencies on Aging, coordinated through the South Carolina Department on Aging, arrange home-delivered meals, in-home care, caregiver support, and senior transportation. Reach your local AAA through the Department on Aging (1-800-868-9095), GetCareSC.com, the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116), or by dialing 211. For free civil legal help, contact South Carolina Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592 or ask your Area Agency on Aging.
Frequently asked questions
What is South Carolina's SHIP program? It is the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, branded locally as I-CARE and coordinated through the South Carolina Department on Aging. Free Medicare counseling at 1-800-868-9095.
Does South Carolina offer senior property tax relief? Yes. The South Carolina Homestead Exemption removes the first $50,000 of fair market value of your legal residence from property tax for homeowners age 65 or older (or disabled or legally blind), with no income limit. Apply through your county auditor or MyDORWAY.
How do South Carolina seniors get help with prescription costs? South Carolina has no flat statewide drug-payment program, so call SHIP/I-CARE at 1-800-868-9095 to apply for Medicare Extra Help, and use BenefitsCheckUp.org for patient assistance programs.
How do South Carolina seniors get help with energy bills? Through LIHEAP, run by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Contact your local Community Action Agency, call OEO at 803-734-0662, or dial 211.
Sources
- South Carolina Department on Aging, Medicare and Medicare Fraud / SHIP (1-800-868-9095): https://aging.sc.gov/programs-initiatives/medicare-and-medicare-fraud . Verified June 8, 2026.
- SCDHHS, Getting Started / Healthy Connections Medicaid (1-888-549-0820, apply.scdhhs.gov): https://www.scdhhs.gov/members/getting-started . Verified June 8, 2026.
- South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity, LIHEAP (803-734-0662): https://oeo.sc.gov/liheap.html . Verified June 8, 2026.
- South Carolina Department of Revenue, Exempt Property / Homestead Exemption (first $50,000 of fair market value, age 65): https://dor.sc.gov/property/exempt-property . Verified June 8, 2026.