With a score of 90 out of 100, Ambetter offers the best health insurance in North Carolina, balancing affordability, customer service and coverage. If Ambetter isn’t available in your area, consider Blue Cross Blue Shield, CareSource, Oscar Health or WellCare for excellent coverage options.
Best Health Insurance in North Carolina
Updated: June 24, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Overall, Ambetter offers the best and most balanced health insurance coverage in North Carolina.
CareSource provides the best cheap health insurance in North Carolina, with Silver-tier plans averaging $361 per month, where available.
To find the best health insurance in North Carolina, educate yourself on companies available to you, decide coverage needs beforehand and compare plan quotes from several companies.
Best Health Insurance Companies in North Carolina
| Ambetter | 90 | Standard Silver with Atrium Health + Vision + Adult Dental |
| CareSource | 79 | HDHP Preventive Silver 5500 $0 Select Drugs |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 78 | Blue Local Silver Standard | with Atrium Health |
| Oscar Health Plan of North Carolina, Inc. | 76 | Silver Classic Standard | with Atrium Health |
| WellCare | 75 | Standard Silver WellCare |
*Our picks are the best companies for 40-year-olds looking for Silver-tier plans.
Best Health Insurance in North Carolina by Category
While we've given our top picks overall, the best company for you may differ depending on your profile and preferred plan type. So below, we've broken down the top picks for common categories to make more personalized recommendations.
| Children/Families | Ambetter |
| Young Adults | Ambetter |
| Seniors | Ambetter |
| PPO | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
| HMO | Ambetter |
| POS | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
| EPO | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
Best North Carolina Health Insurance Reviews
So that you can learn about our recommendations, we've broken down our top picks overall, for affordability, and customer service reputation.
Ambetter: Best Overall
pros
Affordable marketplace-focused plans
Flexible plan options and member benefits
Best overall for most North Carolinians
cons
Narrow provider networks
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Overall, Ambetter was our pick for the best health insurance in North Carolina due to its comprehensive coverage across 63 counties statewide, with a MoneyGeek score of 90 and plans with cost-effective options, lower-than-average out-of-pocket costs and lower rates of claim denials. Ambetter has a denial rate of about 15%, lower than many competitors, and offers unique benefits like Virtual 24/7 Care and expanded YMCA partnerships for gym memberships and online fitness classes.
CareSource: Best Cheap Overall
pros
Cheapest rates in North Carolina for most plan tiers
Strong focus on Medicaid and dual-eligible populations
Comprehensive care coordination and support services
cons
Limited provider network size
Complex prior authorization and coverage restrictions
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
While CareSource isn't our top overall pick, it does offer the most affordable options in North Carolina. It has a MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100, average monthly premiums of $361, and an average MOOP cost of $7,733. CareSource's denial rate is 20%, lower than most of the competition, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious consumers who want predictable health care costs.
Blue Cross Blue Shield: Best Customer Reputation
pros
Dominant market presence and statewide coverage
Highest customer reputation score in North Carolina
cons
Higher rates in North Carolina
No out-of-network coverage, unless there's a medical emergency
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina stands out for customer service as the state's largest insurer. 85% of BCBS of North Carolina customers gave the company high customer satisfaction scores, and almost 80% of members are satisfied with the policies offered by the company, with the company maintaining high Medicare Star Ratings and offering comprehensive support across all 100 North Carolina counties.
How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in North Carolina
The following recommendations will ensure that buying health insurance that is ideal for you is easy.
Decide on your coverage needs before buying
When looking for the best health insurance, weigh the monthly cost against the maximum out-of-pocket limits for plans. If you go to the doctor often, a plan with a higher monthly fee but lower MOOP can save you money. But you may not need as much coverage if you're not high risk. Also, compare health insurance plan types to ensure how flexible a provider will be in covering you.
Compare company offerings and reputations
Before comparing rates, understand what plans the top companies in your area offer and their terms. Also, look into company reputations through forums and industry sources like J.D. Power to ensure a smooth buying and coverage claims process.
Shop around
Comparing multiple plans from many different providers ensures that you get the best possible deal. We found that rates can start as low as $361 per month in North Carolina depending on your personal profile and plan type chosen. Open Enrollment lasts from November 1 to January 15 but you may also qualify for Special Enrollment if you've lost your job, have gotten divorced or have had a child.
Take advantage of federal programs and subsidies
Those with low income, have a qualifying disability or illness, or are 65 years old or older can receive subsidies or be eligible for Medicare plans. In some cases, depending on your details, you can have up to 100% of your premiums covered if you're low-income or have significant savings if you're eligible for Medicare. MoneyGeek also provides information for finding the top North Carolina Medicare Supplement and best Medicare Advantage plans in North Carolina if you want to learn more.
Best Health Insurance in North Carolina: Bottom Line
Overall, our top three North Carolina health insurance picks are Ambetter, CareSource and Blue Cross Blue Shield. However, the best possible health insurance plan for you will vary widely depending on your personal details and coverage needs. Compare as many plans and companies as possible to get the right fit.
Best North Carolina Health Insurance: FAQ
Below, we've answered frequently asked questions about the best health insurance in North Carolina:
What is the best health insurance provider in North Carolina for 2025?
Ambetter provides the best health insurance in North Carolina for 2025. However, the best choice for you will depend on your unique circumstances and needs and if coverage is available in your county.
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in North Carolina?
When finding the best health insurance plan, compare both premium costs and coverage breadth to ensure the plan meets your specific medical needs without gaps in essential services. The ideal plan balances affordability with comprehensive coverage that aligns with your health requirements and anticipated medical expenses.
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance in North Carolina
To rank health care insurance providers in North Carolina, MoneyGeek researched premiums, out-of-pocket costs, claims denial rates and plan types for each available company and compared them across different categories. We then weighted each category to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score and derive rankings.
We weighted most categories as follows:
- Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) score (30%): The MOOP is the most you'll pay per year for health care costs outside of your monthly premiums. The provider with the lowest average MOOP scores the highest.
- Claims denial score (30%): How often a provider denies claims. The provider with the lowest claims denial rate scores the highest.
- Rate score (20%): How much the provider's monthly plans cost. The cheapest provider, on average, gets the highest score.
- Plan type score (20%): Providers score better if they have plan types with broader coverage. A provider with many PPO plans will get the highest score.
In some cases, we adjusted the weightings as follows:
- For the categories "Best Cheap Health Insurance in North Carolina" and "Best Health Insurance in North Carolina for Low Income," we increased the rate score weighting to 50%. We decreased every other category by 10%.
- For the category "Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in North Carolina," we decreased the plan type score weighting to 0% to reflect that we are comparing providers' plans like-for-like. We increased MOOP and claims denial score weightings by 10% each.
Sample Consumer:
MoneyGeek collected data on all available plans in North Carolina for consumers aged 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. Unless otherwise noted, all monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old buyer, such as the category for young adults. Plans analyzed in each section include the relevant cited metal tiers, which include Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.