Best Medicare Supplement Plans in North Carolina 2024
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North Carolina has about 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries — the ninth highest among the states for enrollment . About 980,000 of those beneficiaries have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).
North Carolina residents with Medicare Part A and Part B can purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, to help cover certain out-of-pocket expenses like copays, coinsurance and deductibles left over after Medicare pays for covered services. About 480,000 people in North Carolina had Medigap coverage as of the end of 2022.
Here’s what you need to know about finding the best Medigap policy for you in North Carolina.
Compare the best Medicare Supplement plans in NC
Most popular Medicare Supplement Insurance plan types in North Carolina
There are 10 standard Medigap plan types available in North Carolina (Plan C and Plan F aren’t available for new Medicare members). However, nearly 94% of Medigap members in North Carolina are in one of the three most popular types.
Here are North Carolina’s top three most popular Medicare Supplement Insurance plan types:
45% have Medigap Plan G — the highest-coverage option available to new Medicare members.
42% have Medigap Plan F — the most comprehensive coverage of any Medigap plan.
7% have Medigap Plan N — a plan with lower premiums but higher copays.
Medigap Plan F isn’t available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020. Medigap Plan G is the most similar option available to all Medicare beneficiaries.
Top Medicare Supplement Insurance companies in NC
The government regulates Medigap plans, but private insurance companies sell them. Here are the five most popular Medicare Supplement Insurance companies in North Carolina as of the end of 2022:
Insurance company | Share of North Carolina Medigap members |
|---|---|
32.3%. | |
22.5%. | |
13.5%. | |
4. Aetna | 7.8%. |
5. Washington National Insurance Company | 1.6%. |
Medicare Supplement Insurance prices in North Carolina
It’s worth comparing companies to find the lowest price for your chosen plan. The benefits of each Medigap plan are standardized, so you get the same Medicare benefits regardless of the company you choose.
Here are the prices for Medigap Plan G and Plan N, the most popular plans available for new Medicare members, from the five Medigap companies with the most members in North Carolina.
The table below shows price estimates for a 65-year-old female nonsmoker in Greensboro, North Carolina, as filed with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (Note: Some Medigap prices may be higher for males.)
Insurance company | Plan G monthly premiums | Plan N monthly premiums |
|---|---|---|
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | $102. | $91. |
AARP/UnitedHealthcare | $113. | $81. |
Washington National Insurance Company | $116. | $94. |
Aetna | $121. | $83. |
Mutual of Omaha | $123. | $90. |
For reference, here are the lowest premiums available from any company for the two plans in Greensboro, according to the Medicare plan finding tool:
Medigap Plan G: $85 per month.
Medigap Plan N: $74 per month.
Medicare resources in North Carolina
Medicare and Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP): Provides free, confidential information and counseling about Medicare and related health insurance subjects for North Carolina residents.
North Carolina Division of Aging: Administers community-based services and resources for older adults in North Carolina.
North Carolina Area Agencies on Aging: Facilitate local and regional programs to provide information and serve the needs of older North Carolina residents.
Find the right Medicare Supplement Insurance plan
Because Medigap plans are standardized, you can get precisely the same Medicare benefits from any company offering the plan. So when you shop, keep these considerations in mind to find the best policy to fit your needs:
Is your preferred plan available? Health insurance companies don’t always sell every plan, so check who sells the plan you want to buy in your area.
What are the premiums? Prices for the same plan can vary between companies, so check to find the most competitive rates.
Will your premiums change over time? Most policies cost more as you age, but some companies offer policies that let you lock in a price when you sign up.
Are there extras? Medigap plans’ core benefits are standardized, but in certain cases, some companies include such perks as discount programs or gym memberships.
Medicare Supplement Insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) ratings are based on pricing, discounts, plan types offered, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, consumer experience, additional perks and benefits, and more. To calculate each health insurance company's rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale, rounded to the nearest half star.
NerdWallet reviewed 13 Medicare Supplement Insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. At the national level, our scored reviews include companies covering about two-thirds of all Medigap beneficiaries. At the state level, our research includes at least one of the two largest Medigap insurance companies in 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Insurer complaints methodology
We examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, we calculated a similar index for each insurance company, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary. We score companies based on this index of how many complaints the company receives relative to its market share. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.
This roundup includes only insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Insurance in North Carolina.
