Health insurance for North Carolinians who buy their own.
We help North Carolinians who buy their own health coverage, from Charlotte to the mountains and the coast, compare Marketplace plans, Medicaid and other options after a job change, early retirement or a move to self-employment.
North Carolina plans we compare
What’s different about health insurance in North Carolina.
Every state runs its individual market a little differently. These are the rules that matter most if you buy your own coverage here.
Read the North Carolina FAQ- North Carolina uses the federal Marketplace, and open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 (enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start).
- Six insurers sell Marketplace plans for 2026 after Aetna, WellCare (Celtic) and CareSource left the state's individual market.
- Approved 2026 rate increases averaged about 28%, and enhanced federal tax credits expired, so households above 400% of the poverty level get no premium help.
- Medicaid covers adults earning up to 138% of the poverty level, but work or activity reporting starts January 1, 2027.
- State continuation lets you keep a small employer's insured group plan for up to 18 months at 102% of the group rate.
- The state still applies the federal four-month limit on short-term plans.
However you got here, there’s a better plan than the first one you were offered.
Leaving a job, or staring at a COBRA bill
Compare COBRA and North Carolina's own continuation rules with Marketplace plans and everything else you qualify for.
Compare your options
Retired before 65
Bridge the years to Medicare without draining savings.
Learn more
Self-employed or 1099
Solid coverage, manageable premiums, and the tax deduction most people miss.
Learn moreLooking beyond the Marketplace
Health sharing and other non-ACA options, with the trade-offs explained.
Learn moreNeed coverage for a short gap
What short-term coverage looks like in North Carolina, and what to use instead.
Learn moreWho sells plans in North Carolina
Every insurer offering individual and family plans for 2026.
Learn moreFrom first conversation to coverage in three steps.
- 1
Tell us your situation
Share your ZIP, age, budget and the doctors you want to keep. Online or by phone, with no commitment.
About 5 minutes - 2
We compare every option
A licensed agent checks the plans sold in your county for premiums, deductibles, networks and prescriptions.
Usually within 1 business day - 3
Enroll with confidence
See your best matches side by side. Pick one and we handle the enrollment, then stay with you for renewals.
We handle the paperwork
Straight answers before you call.
More in our North Carolina FAQ, or ask an agent at (888) 214-4898.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 through the federal Marketplace. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. Enrollments from December 16 to January 15 start February 1.
No. North Carolina uses the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. The state does not add its own premium subsidies on top of the federal tax credits.
Yes. Medicaid expansion started December 1, 2023, and covers adults 19 to 64 with household income up to 138% of the poverty level. About 740,000 people are covered through expansion.
The 2023 expansion law requires expansion to end if the state's share cannot be fully paid from non-state-general-fund sources, such as hospital assessments. In April 2026 the state passed a funding law that kept expansion running, and coverage continues for 2026.
See what you'd actually pay.
A licensed agent will compare plans from every insurer in your North Carolina county, check your subsidy, and walk you through the options. No cost, no obligation.