You or your family member may be on Healthy Connections Medicaid in South Carolina. If you need a ramp, grab bars, or a bathroom modification to stay safely at home, a state program can help pay for it. Healthy Connections Medicaid is run by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). The main route for home modifications is the Community Choices (CC) Waiver, administered through SCDHHS's Community Long Term Care (CLTC) program.
What South Carolina offers#
The Community Choices Waiver is a home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver, approved under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. It is built for frail older adults age 65 and up, and for adults 18 to 64 with physical disabilities. Both groups must meet a nursing facility level of care but prefer to stay in their own home. CLTC area-office case managers handle assessment and service planning directly, on a fee-for-service basis rather than through a Medicaid managed care plan.
The waiver covers a service called Home Accessibility Adaptation, listed in its service catalog as an environmental modification. Covered work includes ramps, grab bars, doorway widening, bathroom modifications, air-conditioning units when justified for health or safety, and specialized electrical or plumbing work for medical equipment. Your case manager builds these into your written service plan, and the regional SCDHHS office must give prior approval before work starts.
One detail worth knowing: the waiver allows self-direction, hiring and managing your own worker, for services like personal attendant or respite care, but not for home modifications. Environmental modification work must go through an enrolled contractor or licensed business, not a family member or handyman.
South Carolina also runs separate waivers for intellectual and developmental disabilities, and for head and spinal cord injury, through a different state agency. CLTC intake can point you to the right program if that describes your situation.
Amounts and eligibility#
South Carolina publishes a dollar limit for this specific service: a lifetime cap of $7,500 per participant for environmental modifications, effective January 1, 2026. General home improvements not tied to accessibility, such as new carpeting or a roof repair, are excluded from this service. Verified against SCDHHS's approved waiver application, July 2026.
To qualify financially, South Carolina uses the special income rule. You can qualify with monthly income up to 300% of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate. As of January 1, 2026, that limit is $2,982 a month for an individual. You also need a CLTC determination that you meet a nursing facility level of care, done as part of or alongside your Medicaid application.
Only SCDHHS and CLTC decide whether you qualify financially and medically. Nothing here is a guarantee of eligibility. A renewal of the Community Choices Waiver application took effect July 1, 2026, so some figures could shift at the next update.
How to apply in South Carolina#
Start with CLTC Centralized Intake. Call (888) 971-1637, or submit a referral online at phoenix.scdhhs.gov/cltc_referrals/new. This intake line also screens for other CLTC-administered waivers, including separate programs for ventilator-dependent individuals, HIV/AIDS, and multiple chronic conditions.
If you are not already enrolled in Healthy Connections Medicaid, you must also apply for Medicaid itself, separately from the waiver referral. Apply online at apply.scdhhs.gov, or call the Healthy Connections Member Help Center at (888) 549-0820 for help.
Be prepared for a possible wait. SCDHHS states that members may access services through traditional Medicaid while on a waiver waiting list, confirming that waiting lists exist. SCDHHS has not published a current wait-time figure; treat any source that quotes one as unreliable.
For general help finding aging services, contact the South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA) at aging.sc.gov or 1-800-868-9095, or search the state's GetCareSC.com resource portal. The federal Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov, 1-800-677-1116) is a fallback.
How it stacks with federal programs#
If the person needing modifications is a veteran, check U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing grants alongside Medicaid. Programs like Specially Adapted Housing can fund larger projects and may be used together with Medicaid waiver services. See our VA home modification grants guide.
Original Medicare does not cover structural home modifications. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer supplemental benefits like grab bars or ramps, but coverage is plan-specific with no standard statewide amount. Call your plan directly to ask what it covers.
Finding a provider who knows this program: Not every contractor has handled Community Choices Waiver paperwork or prior-approval requirements. Adapta Home USA verifies providers' Medicaid Waiver Billing experience, so you can filter for pros who have done this work before. Find Home Modifications & Remodeling providers with Medicaid Waiver Billing experience →
For the bigger picture on combining programs, see our national Medicaid HCBS waiver guide and our full guide to paying for home modifications.
FAQ#
Does South Carolina Medicaid (Healthy Connections) pay for home modifications like wheelchair ramps or bathroom grab bars?#
Yes. Through the Community Choices Waiver, Healthy Connections Medicaid covers a service called Home Accessibility Adaptation, which includes ramps, grab bars, doorway widening, and related accessibility work, up to the program's lifetime cap.
What is the Community Choices waiver and how do I apply through CLTC?#
The Community Choices Waiver helps frail older adults and adults with physical disabilities who need nursing facility level of care stay in their own home instead. To apply, call CLTC Centralized Intake at (888) 971-1637, or submit a referral at phoenix.scdhhs.gov/cltc_referrals/new.
What is the $7,500 lifetime cap on environmental modifications in South Carolina?#
The Community Choices Waiver sets a lifetime cap of $7,500 per participant for the Home Accessibility Adaptation, or environmental modification, service. General home improvements not tied to accessibility are excluded from this cap.
What are the income limits for the Community Choices waiver in 2026?#
South Carolina uses the special income rule, which allows monthly income up to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate. As of January 1, 2026, that limit is $2,982 a month for an individual. You must also meet a nursing facility level of care.
Find a verified provider near you#
Adapta Home USA's directory lets you search Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in South Carolina and filter for Medicaid Waiver Billing experience. Our wheelchair ramp cost guide and accessible bathroom remodel cost guide can help you budget while your application is pending.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
Program amounts, eligibility rules, and application procedures change. Figures on this page were verified against official government sources on the date shown, but you should confirm current details at VA.gov or with the administering agency before making decisions. Adapta Home USA is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.