Quick answer
CMS lists 35 Medicare Advantage plans from 6 insurers that people with Medicare can join in Wake County, North Carolina for 2027. 28 have a $0 monthly premium and 27 include drug coverage. In-network out-of-pocket maximums run from $3,400 to $9,850 a year. 24 of the 34 plans with a 2027 star rating have 4 or more stars. Data last updated September 22, 2026 (CMS landscape 202609.1); star ratings October 8, 2026.
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2027 plan numbers for Wake County
Wake County at a glance
- Plans open to everyone
- 35
- With a $0 monthly premium
- 28
- With drug coverage
- 27
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum
- $3,400 to $9,850
- Insurers with plans
- 6
- Plans rated 4+ stars
- 24 of 34 rated
- Special needs plans (qualifying members only)
- 28
Plans open to everyone means Medicare Advantage and Medicare Advantage with drug coverage plans that are not special needs plans. Premium means the plan premium; your Part B premium is separate.
Wake County ranks #36 among US counties by population (Census estimate for July 1, 2025: 1,257,235 people). By number of plans offered it ranks #53 of the 100 counties in North Carolina that have plans, and #660 of the 3,040 counties in the country that have plans.
Plans by type
| Plan type | Plans | What it generally means |
|---|---|---|
| HMO | 5 | Care usually has to come from the plan's network. |
| HMO with point-of-service (HMO-POS) | 13 | An HMO that covers some out-of-network care. |
| PPO | 14 | Out-of-network care is allowed, usually at a higher cost. |
| Regional PPO | 3 | A PPO sold across a multi-county region. |
Insurers with plans in Wake County
| Insurer | Plans in Wake County | Share of plans |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | 12 | 34% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | 6 | 17% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 6 | 17% |
| Aetna Medicare | 4 | 11% |
| Wellcare | 4 | 11% |
| Alignment Health Plan | 3 | 9% |
How Wake County compares with the rest of North Carolina
The state column is the average of the 100 North Carolina counties that have Medicare Advantage plans in the CMS file; each county counts once, whatever its population.
| Measure | Wake County | Average North Carolina county |
|---|---|---|
| Plans open to everyone | 35 | 36 |
| Plans with a $0 premium | 80% | 77% |
| Insurers with plans | 6 | 6.3 |
| PPO and Regional PPO share of plans | 49% | 57% |
| Lowest out-of-pocket maximum | $3,400 | $3,804 |
| Highest out-of-pocket maximum | $9,850 | $9,850 |
| Rated plans with 4+ stars | 71% | 73% |
| Plans with drug coverage | 77% | 72% |
- Humana has the most plans here: 12 of 35 (34%).
- 8 of the 35 plans do not include drug coverage.
- The plan count here (35) is close to the North Carolina county average of 36.
What this means in Wake County
Wake County has 35 plans from 6 insurers, in line with the North Carolina county average of 36. With Humana offering 34% of the plans, its network is the first one to check. 80% of the plans (28 of 35) charge no monthly premium, so premium will not separate most of them. The out-of-pocket maximum, $3,400 to $9,850, shows what a bad year could cost. A $0 premium does not remove copays or coinsurance, and your Part B premium is separate.
The list mixes 18 HMO-style and 17 PPO-style plans, so network rules differ from plan to plan; read each plan's provider rules. 24 of the 34 rated plans have 4 or more stars. CMS rates the insurer's contract, so look up the rating of the specific plan you are considering.
How to compare plans in Wake County
- Doctors and hospitals. Ask each plan whether your doctors, your hospital and any specialists are in its network today. 18 of 35 plans here are HMO or HMO-POS and 17 are PPO-type, so the rules differ.
- Prescriptions. 27 of 35 plans include drug coverage. For each drug, check the plan's formulary, the tier it sits on and the pharmacy you would use.
- Out-of-pocket cap. The in-network maximum runs $3,400 to $9,850 a year depending on the plan, a gap of $6,450. The cap is what limits a hospital stay or a run of treatments.
- Extras and cost-sharing. Compare copays for primary care, specialists and the emergency room, and any dental, vision and hearing benefits you would use.
- Star rating. 24 of the 34 rated plans have 4 or more stars. Ask for the rating of the exact plan, then see how it handles the doctors and drugs above.
Plan Finder at Medicare.gov shows every plan available at your address. If your ZIP code is in Wake County, you can also check plan counts for your ZIP code on this site.
Dates that matter for 2027 coverage
- Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan in that window.
- Coverage changes take effect January 1, 2027. Plans send an Annual Notice of Change in the fall listing what is different next year.
Free local Medicare help in North Carolina
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling. In North Carolina it is run as Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP).
SHIIP in North Carolina
- Program
- Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)
- Phone
- 1-855-408-1212
- Website
- ncdoi.gov/consumers/medicare-and-seniors-health-insurance-information-program-shiip
Program name, number and website as listed by the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center, checked October 15, 2026.
You can also reach Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) or compare plans at medicare.gov/plan-compare.
Questions about Medicare Advantage in Wake County
How many Medicare Advantage plans are in Wake County for 2027?
CMS lists 35 general Medicare Advantage plans in Wake County, North Carolina for 2027: 5 HMO, 13 HMO-POS, 14 PPO, and 3 Regional PPO. 27 of them include drug coverage. That count leaves out special needs plans (28 more, for people who qualify), cost plans and stand-alone drug plans.
Are there $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans in Wake County?
Yes. 28 of the 35 plans (80%) have a $0 monthly plan premium. You still pay your Part B premium, and the plan may charge copays or coinsurance up to its out-of-pocket maximum.
Which insurers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Wake County?
6 insurers offer plans in Wake County, North Carolina. The five with the most plans are Humana (12), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (6), UnitedHealthcare (6), Aetna Medicare (4), Wellcare (4).
What is the most I could pay out of pocket in Wake County?
In-network out-of-pocket maximums for the 35 plans run from $3,400 to $9,850 a year, depending on the plan. The maximum covers covered services in the plan's network; it does not include the plan's monthly premium.
How many Medicare Advantage plans in Wake County have 4 or more stars?
24 of the 34 plans with a 2027 star rating are rated 4 stars or higher. 1 plans are not yet rated or have too little data, and star ratings are given to the insurer's contract.
Sources and what is counted
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape source file, contract year 2027, release 202609.1 (file cy2027-landscape-202609-1.zip, CY2027_Landscape_202609.csv), data last updated September 22, 2026; CMS 2027 Part C and D Star Ratings data tables (Summary Ratings table), October 8, 2026; U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 county population estimates (July 1, 2025). Plans counted by Senior Transition Assistance.
A plan is one CMS contract and plan ID offered in Wake County. Counts cover Medicare Advantage and Medicare Advantage with drug coverage plans that are open to everyone. Special needs plans, cost plans, employer-only plans and stand-alone Part D plans are not in the counts above. The $0-premium count uses the combined plan premium (Part C plus Part D) when the plan has drug coverage. Star ratings are CMS overall ratings for plans with drug coverage and Part C summary ratings for plans without. Out-of-pocket maximums are the in-network amounts CMS lists.
Figures are for plan year 2027 and come from CMS files dated as shown; the CMS landscape can change before January 1. Confirm any plan's details on Medicare.gov or with the plan.
Other North Carolina counties with a page: Mecklenburg County.