How healthy is living in South Carolina?

South Carolina fell six spots – from 42nd to 48th – in the 2008 ranking of the healthiest states by the United Health Foundation.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Prevalence of binge drinking – 14th
• Immunization coverage – 17th
• Children (under 18) in poverty – 42nd
• Occupational fatalities – 43rd
• Infectious disease – 43rd
• Premature death – 44th
• Prevalence of obesity – 44th
• Infant mortality – 45th
• High school graduation – 49th (60.1 percent of ninth graders eventually graduate)
• Violent crime – 50th

Does South Carolina have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

South Carolina Health Insurance Pool
Toll-free Phone 1-800-868-2500, ext. 42757, or 1-803-788-0500, ext. 42757 

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs that help people with a history of medical problems and their families purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of  pre-existing health conditions. These programs can vary significantly from state-to-state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool. In the best cases they allow people to switch jobs or become self-employed without losing their health insurance coverage. Find more on risk pools here.

Mini-meds a guaranteed-issue option for those who are medically uninsurable

An option for the medically uninsurable is a guaranteed-issue mini-med health insurance plan. There is no underwriting and no health questions are asked.

These plans provide basic coverage but are not designed to help with catastrophic expenses. They can often count as creditable coverage, eliminating the waiting period for pre-existing conditions if you later move to an employer-based plan. Read more here.

"Cover The Uninsured's guide to finding health insurance in South Carolina"

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in South Carolina and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in South Carolina.
• Materiales En Español -- Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

News headlines on South Carolina health insurance

Find the most recent headlines on health insurance in South Carolina at Google News or Yahoo News.

USNews health insurance rankings for South Carolina

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. "View its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in South Carolina."

Official State Goverment Sites with South Carolina Health Insurance Information

Hands on Health South Carolina -- a resource by South Carolina's state government to help and encourage state residents to live healthier lives.

South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services -- manages the state's Medicaid program to provide heath care coverage for those who cannot afford it.

Partners for Health Insurance (PHC) -- South Carolina's program to provide Medicare coverage to children 18 and under who live in families with income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.