- 5carriers selling 2026 marketplace plans in Mecklenburg County
- 81plans on the Mecklenburg shelf, from 32 bronze to 19 gold
- $583benchmark silver for a 40 year old in Mecklenburg, full price per month
Who sells marketplace plans in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County has more carriers than Wake County, the other North Carolina county I track, five against four. Across all 79 counties and parishes I track in 24 states, 30 have more carriers than Mecklenburg. The biggest lineup in Mecklenburg belongs to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC with 30 plans, about 37 percent of everything on offer.
| Carrier | Plans | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Network types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | EPO 12, HMO 9, PPO 9 |
| Ambetter of North Carolina | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | HMO 14 |
| OscarOscar Health Plan of North Carolina, Inc | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | HMO 14 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | HMO 13 |
| CignaCigna Healthcare Leaving for 2027 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | HMO 10 |
Mecklenburg plan counts from the CMS 2026 landscape file (county FIPS 37119, Rating Area 4). Bronze includes expanded bronze, and companies CMS lists under more than one legal issuer are grouped with the legal names underneath.
Leaving Mecklenburg County for 2027
Cigna sells 10 of the 81 plans in Mecklenburg County this year. Cigna is leaving the ACA individual market in every state where it sells, on and off exchange, for 2027. After that exit, four carriers are left from the 2026 Mecklenburg lineup: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Ambetter of North Carolina, Oscar and UnitedHealthcare. If you are enrolled with Cigna in Mecklenburg, you will get a notice this fall. If you do nothing you are moved to a replacement plan picked on price and metal level, and nothing in that process checks your doctors or prescriptions.
What it costs in Mecklenburg County before any subsidy
These are the full monthly prices, before any premium tax credit, for the cheapest Mecklenburg plan at each metal level. I show the sticker price because it is what your subsidy is subtracted from, and most people who enroll in Mecklenburg pay less, often a lot less.
| Monthly premium, full price | Age 21 | Age 40 | Age 60 | Couple, both 40 | Couple 40 + 2 kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest bronze | $350 | $447 | $949 | $894 | $1,429 |
| Lowest silver | $450 | $575 | $1,221 | $1,150 | $1,839 |
| Benchmark silver (second lowest) | $456 | $583 | $1,238 | $1,166 | $1,863 |
| Lowest gold | $481 | $615 | $1,305 | $1,229 | $1,965 |
Benchmark silver is the second lowest of the 30 silver premiums listed for Mecklenburg. The last column is two adults aged 40 plus two children.
What these numbers mean if you live in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County is one of 32 of the 79 counties and parishes on my list where the metal levels are priced in the order you would expect. The cheapest gold at 40 is $615, which is $32 above the benchmark silver and $40 above the cheapest silver. In Mecklenburg the extra gold premium pays for a lower deductible rather than coming free.
In Mecklenburg County the benchmark is $136 above the cheapest bronze at age 40, and 13 of the other 78 counties and parishes I track have a narrower one. That gap decides whether bronze can be free, because your subsidy is the $583 benchmark minus what the government expects you to pay from your income. A 40 year old in Mecklenburg whose expected share is $136 a month or less would pay nothing for the cheapest bronze. At 60 the Mecklenburg gap grows to $289 and at 21 it shrinks to $106, which is why older enrollees are the ones most likely to find a $0 plan.
Wake County, around Raleigh, is the other North Carolina county I track. Compared with Wake County, the Mecklenburg benchmark is $8 lower at 40 and the cheapest bronze is $1 higher. Oscar sells in Mecklenburg and not in Wake County.
Mecklenburg plans by metal level, network and deductible
| Metal level | Plans | $0 deductible | Deductible range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1 | 0 | $10,600 to $10,600 |
| Expanded Bronze | 31 | 4 | $0 to $8,500 |
| Silver | 30 | 0 | $2,500 to $6,500 |
| Gold | 19 | 1 | $0 to $2,000 |
| Total | 81 | 5 |
By network type the 81 Mecklenburg plans break down as 60 HMO, 12 EPO and 9 PPO. Only 9 are PPOs, and every one of them comes from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC. If seeing specialists without a referral matters to you, that narrows the Mecklenburg shelf to one company. 5 plans in Mecklenburg have a $0 medical deductible (4 expanded bronze and 1 gold). The 4 bronze ones among them still have out of pocket maximums of $10,500 to $10,600, so a $0 deductible does not mean a small bill.
Every Mecklenburg price on this page is before subsidies, and most enrollees pay less. For a 40 year old in Mecklenburg the premium tax credit is measured against the $583 benchmark. Estimate your own subsidy, or send me your ZIP and I will run the Mecklenburg numbers for you.
2027 plans for Mecklenburg County
These are the 2026 plans and prices for Mecklenburg County. The 2027 plans and prices are published around November 1, 2026, and I will update this page with the new Mecklenburg numbers then. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage in North Carolina runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and December 15 is the last day to pick a plan that starts January 1.
Questions about Mecklenburg County coverage
How many health insurance companies sell marketplace plans in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?
For 2026, five carriers sell individual marketplace plans in Mecklenburg County: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Ambetter of North Carolina, Oscar, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna. Together they offer 81 plans across the metal levels, according to the CMS plan landscape file.
What is the cheapest health insurance in Mecklenburg County?
At full price before any subsidy, the cheapest bronze plan in Mecklenburg County is $350 a month for a 21 year old, $447 at 40 and $949 at 60. In Mecklenburg a couple both aged 40 pays $894 for the cheapest bronze, and two 40 year olds with two children pay $1,429. No catastrophic plan is sold in Mecklenburg for 2026. Most people in Mecklenburg who qualify for a premium tax credit pay less than these prices.
What is the benchmark silver plan premium in Mecklenburg County for 2026?
The second lowest cost silver plan, the benchmark your subsidy is calculated from, is $583 a month for a 40 year old in Mecklenburg County before subsidies. In Mecklenburg it is $456 at age 21 and $1,238 at age 60, and the lowest silver plan is $575 at 40.
Which insurance companies are leaving Mecklenburg County for 2027?
Cigna is leaving the ACA individual market in every state where it sells, on and off exchange, for 2027. In 2026 it sells 10 plans in Mecklenburg County. Four carriers from the 2026 Mecklenburg lineup remain: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Ambetter of North Carolina, Oscar and UnitedHealthcare. The full 2027 lineup and prices are published around November 1, 2026.
Can I get a PPO or a $0 deductible plan in Mecklenburg County?
Yes to both. 9 of the 81 plans in Mecklenburg are PPOs, all from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, and 5 plans have a $0 medical deductible. The cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old in Mecklenburg is $615 a month before subsidies.
More for Mecklenburg County residents
- Health insurance brokers in North Carolina, how to choose one and what it costs
- Every 2027 carrier change in North Carolina
- How Mecklenburg compares with the other 78 counties and parishes I track
- Estimate a Mecklenburg subsidy
Get your Mecklenburg County quote
Send me your ZIP and who needs coverage and I will compare every Mecklenburg plan you qualify for with your subsidy applied, free and with no pressure.
Get my free quote → Or book a callSources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QHP Landscape Individual Market Medical, plan year 2026 (public use file), Mecklenburg County rows
- HealthCare.gov, Health plan information for individuals and families
- STAT, Cigna to exit the ACA individual market in 2027
- healthinsurance.org, ACA open enrollment deadlines