North Carolina · NC
North Carolina health insurance 2027: prices, plans and free help
In North Carolina, the 2027 benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $660 a month before tax credits, up 3% from 2026 (KFF). Open Enrollment runs Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027. A licensed advisor from America First Healthcare can compare private plans and Marketplace options with you on a free call.
Verify any agent's license through the NIPR lookup.
Reviewed by Jordan SarmientoUpdated
Quick facts
- Marketplace
- HealthCare.gov
- 2027 open enrollment
- Nov 1 to Jan 15
- Medicaid expansion
- Adopted
- Short-term plans
- Limited
- Insurance department
- North Carolina Department of Insurance
Facts checked 2026-09-14.
North Carolina in 2027 at a glance
- Benchmark silver, age 40
- $660/mo
- 2027, before credits. Up 3% from 2026.
- Lowest bronze, age 40
- $585/mo
- 2027, middle county, before credits.
- Open Enrollment
- Nov 1 to Jan 15
- Enroll by Dec 15 for a Jan 1 start.
Sources: KFF and CMS (2027 plan data), linked in the sections below.
North Carolina health insurance facts
- Marketplace
- North Carolina uses HealthCare.gov, the federally facilitated Marketplace.Source
- 2027 open enrollment
- November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027; enroll December 16 to January 15 for a February 1 start.Source All states' 2027 dates.
- Medicaid expansion
- North Carolina adopted Medicaid expansion; coverage began December 1, 2023.Source
- State insurance department
- North Carolina Department of Insurance. File complaints and check agent licenses here.Source
Facts checked 2026-09-14. Rules change; confirm anything you plan around at the linked source.
Average cost of health insurance in North Carolina for 2027
The benchmark plan, the second-lowest-cost silver plan that tax credits are measured against, averages $660 a month for a 40-year-old in North Carolina for 2027, before any credit. That is up 3% from $638 in 2026.Source By county, the 2027 benchmark runs from $557 to $996 a month.Source
2027 benchmark silver price by age in North Carolina
| Age | Per month, before credits |
|---|---|
| 21 | $516 |
| 30 | $586 |
| 40 | $660 |
| 50 | $922 |
| 60 | $1,402 |
| 64 | $1,549 |
Age 40 is the KFF benchmark. Other ages use the CMS default age curve.SourceSource Tax credits lower these prices for most buyers. See your own price with the 2027 price checker.
The 2026 Marketplace in North Carolina, in numbers
For 2026, 761,457 North Carolina residents picked a Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment, and 87.1% of them received an advance premium tax credit. The average premium was $755 a month per person before the credit and $180 after it, counting everyone who picked a plan. 29.5% paid $10 a month or less after the credit.Source
The benchmark plan, the second-lowest-cost silver plan that tax credits are measured against, averaged $638 a month for a 40-year-old in North Carolina in 2026, before any credit.Source 6 insurers offered individual-market plans through HealthCare.gov in North Carolina for 2026.Source
Your own price depends on your age, county, household income and the plan you pick, and you see exact 2027 numbers only on a Marketplace application or a quote. How the pieces fit together is in how much health insurance costs per month.
What our clients in North Carolina actually paid each month is in health insurance cost by state.
Health insurance companies in North Carolina for 2027
CMS lists 5 insurers selling 251 Marketplace plans in North Carolina for 2027, across 100 counties. Which ones you can buy depends on your county.Source
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC: all 100 counties
- Ambetter of North Carolina: 63 of 100 counties
- AmeriHealth Caritas Next: 46 of 100 counties
- UnitedHealthcare: 37 of 100 counties
- Oscar Health Plan of North Carolina, Inc: 27 of 100 counties
This is CMS’s list of insurers on HealthCare.gov, not a list of the companies America First Healthcare works with.
Cheap health insurance in North Carolina: where the low prices are
Before tax credits, the lowest-cost bronze plan for a 40-year-old costs $585 a month in the middle North Carolina county for 2027, from $483 to $730 across the state. The lowest-cost silver plan costs $688 in the middle county.Source
Tax credits change the price most. For 2026, 87.1% of North Carolina Marketplace enrollees got a premium tax credit, and 29.5% paid $10 a month or less after it.Source
North Carolina expanded Medicaid, so adults with low incomes may qualify for Medicaid at little or no cost.Source For people who mainly want protection from a large bill, a catastrophic plan can cost less; what our own clients pay is in health insurance cost by state.
Short-term health insurance in North Carolina
Short-term plans are sold in North Carolina, but the Department of Insurance requires them to follow the current federal definition: an initial term of no more than three months and a total of no more than four months including renewals. NC confirmed in August 2025 that it will keep enforcing that definition even though federal enforcement was paused.Source Short-term plans are not Marketplace coverage and do not get tax credits. How they compare with a catastrophic plan is in catastrophic coverage.
Free, impartial help in North Carolina
If you have Medicare or will soon: North Carolina’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), 1-855-408-1212.Source SHIPs are federally funded, give objective one-on-one Medicare counseling, and there is no cost to use them.Source
If you are buying a Marketplace plan: HealthCare.gov’s Find Local Help directory lists assisters trained and certified by the Marketplace, who are required to give fair, impartial information.Source
America First Healthcare is a licensed agency, not a SHIP or a Marketplace assister. Use them, us, or both; a second opinion costs you nothing either way.
Who we usually help in North Carolina
New to private coverage? Start with private health insurance in the USA.
Self-employed? Self-employed health insurance in North Carolina has your 4 options, 2026 prices and a tax deduction calculator.
- Self-employed and 1099 workers, plus the five coverage alternatives and how the rules differ by state
- Small business owners
- Early retirees bridging to Medicare
- People losing employer coverage
- People who are out of work
- Families who want catastrophic-first coverage
We work with families across North Carolina, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro and Durham, and everywhere in between. The review is by phone or video, so where you live in the state does not change how it works.
What a licensed advisor does and how advisors are paid is on talk to a licensed advisor near you.
On our homepage map, North Carolina is one of the states marked active now.
North Carolina health insurance FAQs
Is short-term health insurance allowed in North Carolina?
Short-term plans are sold in North Carolina, but the Department of Insurance requires them to follow the current federal definition: an initial term of no more than three months and a total of no more than four months including renewals. NC confirmed in August 2025 that it will keep enforcing that definition even though federal enforcement was paused.
When is open enrollment in North Carolina for 2027 coverage?
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage in North Carolina runs Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 through HealthCare.gov. Enroll by Dec 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
How much does health insurance cost in North Carolina?
For 2027, the benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old in North Carolina averages $660 a month before tax credits, up 3% from $638 in 2026 (KFF). The lowest-cost bronze plan for a 40-year-old costs $585 a month before credits in the middle county, from $483 to $730 across the state's 100 counties (CMS). In 2026, North Carolina Marketplace enrollees paid $180 a month on average after tax credits ($755 before) (CMS). Your own price depends on your age, county, household income and plan.
What is the average cost of health insurance in North Carolina by age?
For 2027, the benchmark silver plan in North Carolina averages about $586 a month at age 30, $660 at 40, $922 at 50 and $1,402 at 60, before tax credits (KFF benchmark for age 40, other ages on the CMS default age curve). Most Marketplace buyers pay less after a premium tax credit.
What is the best health insurance company in North Carolina?
No one company is best for everyone. The best plan covers your doctors and medicines at a price you can pay. For 2027, CMS lists 5 insurers on HealthCare.gov in North Carolina; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC sells in the most counties (100 of 100). A licensed advisor can compare them for your ZIP code.
Which health insurance companies sell Marketplace plans in North Carolina for 2027?
CMS lists 5 insurers selling 251 HealthCare.gov plans in North Carolina for 2027: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC; Ambetter of North Carolina; AmeriHealth Caritas Next; UnitedHealthcare; Oscar Health Plan of North Carolina, Inc. Which ones you can buy depends on your county.
What is the cheapest health insurance in North Carolina?
Before tax credits, the lowest-cost bronze Marketplace plan for a 40-year-old in North Carolina costs $585 a month in the middle county for 2027 (CMS). With tax credits, 29.5% of North Carolina enrollees paid $10 a month or less in 2026 (CMS). North Carolina expanded Medicaid, so adults with low incomes may qualify for Medicaid instead.
Does North Carolina use HealthCare.gov or its own marketplace?
North Carolina uses HealthCare.gov, the federally facilitated Marketplace, for Marketplace plans and premium tax credits.
How do I verify an insurance agent's license in North Carolina?
Look the agent up through the NIPR license lookup, or contact the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Ask for the agent's name and national producer number before you share personal information. NIPR license lookup.
Educational only. Not medical, legal, or personalized insurance advice. Plans are offered and underwritten by third-party carriers. All states.