- 4carriers selling 2026 marketplace plans in Wake County
- 44plans on the Wake shelf, from 17 bronze to 11 gold
- $591benchmark silver for a 40 year old in Wake, full price per month
Who sells marketplace plans in Wake County
Wake County has fewer carriers than Mecklenburg County, the other North Carolina county I track, four against five. Across all 79 counties and parishes I track in 24 states, 51 have more carriers than Wake. The biggest lineup in Wake belongs to Ambetter of North Carolina with 15 plans, about 34 percent of everything on offer.
| Carrier | Plans | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Network types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambetter of North Carolina | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | HMO 15 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | HMO 13 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | EPO 9 |
| CignaCigna Healthcare Leaving for 2027 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | HMO 7 |
Wake plan counts from the CMS 2026 landscape file (county FIPS 37183, Rating Area 13). Bronze includes expanded bronze, and companies CMS lists under more than one legal issuer are grouped with the legal names underneath.
Leaving Wake County for 2027
Cigna sells 7 of the 44 plans in Wake 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, three carriers are left from the 2026 Wake lineup: Ambetter of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC. If you are enrolled with Cigna in Wake, 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 Wake County before any subsidy
These are the full monthly prices, before any premium tax credit, for the cheapest Wake 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 Wake 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 | $349 | $446 | $947 | $891 | $1,425 |
| Lowest silver | $457 | $584 | $1,241 | $1,169 | $1,868 |
| Benchmark silver (second lowest) | $462 | $591 | $1,255 | $1,182 | $1,889 |
| Lowest gold | $480 | $613 | $1,302 | $1,226 | $1,960 |
Benchmark silver is the second lowest of the 16 silver premiums listed for Wake. The last column is two adults aged 40 plus two children.
What these numbers mean if you live in Wake County
Wake 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 $613, which is $22 above the benchmark silver and $29 above the cheapest silver. In Wake the extra gold premium pays for a lower deductible rather than coming free.
In Wake County the benchmark is $145 above the cheapest bronze at age 40, and 19 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 $591 benchmark minus what the government expects you to pay from your income. A 40 year old in Wake whose expected share is $145 a month or less would pay nothing for the cheapest bronze. At 60 the Wake gap grows to $308 and at 21 it shrinks to $113, which is why older enrollees are the ones most likely to find a $0 plan.
Mecklenburg County, around Charlotte, is the other North Carolina county I track. Compared with Mecklenburg County, the Wake benchmark is $8 higher at 40 and the cheapest bronze is $1 lower. Oscar sells in Mecklenburg County and not in Wake.
Wake plans by metal level, network and deductible
| Metal level | Plans | $0 deductible | Deductible range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1 | 0 | $10,600 to $10,600 |
| Expanded Bronze | 16 | 3 | $0 to $8,500 |
| Silver | 16 | 0 | $2,500 to $7,000 |
| Gold | 11 | 1 | $0 to $2,000 |
| Total | 44 | 4 |
There is not a single PPO on the 2026 marketplace in Wake County. The 44 plans split into 35 HMO and 9 EPO. Outside emergencies, the 9 EPO and 35 HMO plans in Wake generally pay nothing out of network, so the network list matters more than the premium. 4 plans in Wake have a $0 medical deductible (3 expanded bronze and 1 gold). The 3 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 Wake price on this page is before subsidies, and most enrollees pay less. For a 40 year old in Wake the premium tax credit is measured against the $591 benchmark. Estimate your own subsidy, or send me your ZIP and I will run the Wake numbers for you.
2027 plans for Wake County
These are the 2026 plans and prices for Wake County. The 2027 plans and prices are published around November 1, 2026, and I will update this page with the new Wake 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 Wake County coverage
How many health insurance companies sell marketplace plans in Wake County, North Carolina?
For 2026, four carriers sell individual marketplace plans in Wake County: Ambetter of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC and Cigna. Together they offer 44 plans across the metal levels, according to the CMS plan landscape file.
What is the cheapest health insurance in Wake County?
At full price before any subsidy, the cheapest bronze plan in Wake County is $349 a month for a 21 year old, $446 at 40 and $947 at 60. In Wake a couple both aged 40 pays $891 for the cheapest bronze, and two 40 year olds with two children pay $1,425. No catastrophic plan is sold in Wake for 2026. Most people in Wake who qualify for a premium tax credit pay less than these prices.
What is the benchmark silver plan premium in Wake County for 2026?
The second lowest cost silver plan, the benchmark your subsidy is calculated from, is $591 a month for a 40 year old in Wake County before subsidies. In Wake it is $462 at age 21 and $1,255 at age 60, and the lowest silver plan is $584 at 40.
Which insurance companies are leaving Wake 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 7 plans in Wake County. Three carriers from the 2026 Wake lineup remain: Ambetter of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC. The full 2027 lineup and prices are published around November 1, 2026.
Can I get a PPO plan in Wake County?
Not on the 2026 marketplace. All 44 plans in Wake County are HMO or EPO plans. 4 of them have a $0 medical deductible, and the cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old in Wake is $613 a month before subsidies.
More for Wake County residents
- Health insurance brokers in North Carolina, how to choose one and what it costs
- Every 2027 carrier change in North Carolina
- How Wake compares with the other 78 counties and parishes I track
- Estimate a Wake subsidy
Get your Wake County quote
Send me your ZIP and who needs coverage and I will compare every Wake 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), Wake 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