Find a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for 2027
Medicare Part D
Prescription Drug Coverage 2027
Medicare Part D Plans North Carolina 2027: 11 Options, 6 Sponsors
Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated November 2, 2026
North Carolina has 11 standalone Medicare Part D plans for 2027 in our count of CMS 2027 plan filings, sold by Humana, Wellcare, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna SilverScript and HealthSpring. Every one of them is offered in all 100 counties, from Murphy to Manteo, because North Carolina forms a single Part D region.
2027 by the Numbers
11
standalone Part D plans in North Carolina for 2027 (our count of CMS 2027 plan filings)
6
plan sponsors filing North Carolina drug plans (our count)
$2,400
2027 cap on out-of-pocket costs for covered Part D drugs (CMS)
$5.30
lowest monthly standalone Part D premium in most states for 2027 (CMS)
A North Carolinian on Original Medicare picks drug coverage from a short statewide menu. Six companies filed 11 standalone prescription drug plans (PDPs) for 2027, and the same menu applies whether you fill prescriptions in Charlotte, Asheville or a crossroads pharmacy in Bertie County. Premiums, deductibles, preferred pharmacies and drug lists differ by plan, so the choice still takes some homework.
Plan counts on this page come from our count of CMS 2027 plan filings; Medicare Plan Finder counts can differ slightly. Rules that apply in every state, such as the new $700 deductible ceiling, are covered on the 2027 Medicare Part D guide.
Key Takeaways
- Our count shows 11 standalone Part D plans in North Carolina for 2027 from six sponsors.
- Blue Cross NC is the only home-state insurer on the list, with Blue Medicare Rx Enhanced and Blue Medicare Rx Standard.
- Under the standard 2027 design, total drug spending of about $7,500 a year is enough to reach the $2,400 out-of-pocket cap.
- The NC HIV Medication Assistance Program pays covered drug costs left after Part D for eligible members, but members still pay their own premiums.
- SHIIP, part of the NC Department of Insurance, gives free and unbiased plan comparisons.
The 2027 North Carolina Roster, Sponsor by Sponsor
| Sponsor | Plans | 2027 plan names |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | 3 | Humana Basic Rx, Humana Value Rx, Humana Premier Rx |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | 2 | Blue Medicare Rx Enhanced, Blue Medicare Rx Standard |
| UnitedHealthcare | 2 | Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC, Medicare Rx Saver from UHC |
| Wellcare | 2 | Wellcare Classic, Wellcare Value Script |
| Aetna | 1 | SilverScript Choice |
| HealthSpring | 1 | HealthSpring Assurance Rx |
Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings, individual plans only. Medicare Plan Finder counts can differ slightly.
Eleven plans is more than Texas, California or Pennsylvania get for 2027 in our count. The extra depth comes mostly from the two Blue Cross NC plans, which have no counterpart in states where the local Blue company stays out of the standalone drug market. Counts for other states are side by side on our 2027 Part D plans by state page.
Blue Medicare Rx: The Home-State Option
Blue Medicare Rx Standard
✔
Filed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
✔
A lower-cost style of plan in most lineups
✔
Deductible, premium and tiers depend on the 2027 plan documents
Blue Medicare Rx Enhanced
✔
Also filed by Blue Cross NC
✔
Enhanced plans may add coverage beyond the basic benefit
✔
Often priced higher than a basic plan, so compare the yearly total
A plan labeled enhanced is not automatically the better buy. If your drugs are cheap generics, a richer plan may cost more in premiums than it saves at the counter. Read the 2027 Annual Notice of Change or Evidence of Coverage for each plan before you decide. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Part D 2027 page explains how Blue drug plans differ from state to state.
What a Year of Prescriptions Costs Under the 2027 Rules
Using the CMS 2027 standard benefit, we worked out what one person pays across a full year at several levels of total drug spending. Total drug spending means the full price of your covered drugs, the share you pay plus the share the plan pays.
| Total 2027 drug spending | Deductible paid | 25% share after deductible | Your yearly drug cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| $2,000 | $700 | $325 | $1,025 |
| $4,000 | $700 | $825 | $1,525 |
| $7,500 | $700 | $1,700 | $2,400 (cap reached) |
| $20,000 | $700 | Stops at cap | $2,400 |
Our math from CMS 2027 parameters: $700 maximum deductible, 25% coinsurance, $2,400 out-of-pocket cap. Premiums are extra. Plans may use flat copays or a lower deductible instead.
Read the math carefully: these figures follow the standard design. A North Carolina plan with a $0 deductible on generic tiers or set copays may cost less at lower spending levels, and monthly premiums vary widely from plan to plan.
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Medicare Advantage Choice: The Triad Versus the Coast
176
individual Medicare Advantage plans filed in North Carolina for 2027 (our count)
94
MA plans in Forsyth and in Guilford County, the state’s highest (our count)
17
MA plans in Carteret County, among the fewest (our count)
Medicare Advantage plans are approved county by county, so a Winston-Salem resident sees more than five times the MA choices of someone on the Crystal Coast. Standalone drug plans do not follow that pattern. People who keep Original Medicare, often with a Medigap policy, get the same 11 PDPs everywhere in the state. Devoted Health, UnitedHealthcare and Humana file the most MA plans here in our count.
HMAP: North Carolina Drug Help That Works Alongside Part D
North Carolina’s HIV Medication Assistance Program (HMAP), run by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, serves members who have Medicare drug coverage through its state pharmaceutical assistance component. For eligible members, it acts as a secondary payer for covered medications after the Part D plan pays.
How HMAP coordinates with a Part D plan
✔
Income limit: modified adjusted gross family income at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines
✔
Drugs covered by the Part D or Medicare Advantage plan cost the member nothing at the pharmacy
✔
Members pay their own monthly Medicare and Part D premiums
✔
Newly eligible members have 60 days to join a Part D plan; anyone who loses Part D has only 5 days to re-enroll or risks losing HMAP
Low income, any diagnosis: North Carolinians with limited income and savings should also screen for Extra Help, the federal program that lowers premiums, deductibles and copays in any Part D plan.
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Free Plan Reviews From SHIIP
1
Find a SHIIP counselor. The Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program is part of the NC Department of Insurance and works through local partner sites across the state.
2
Bring a current drug list. Include each drug’s name, strength and how often you take it, plus the pharmacy you prefer.
3
Run a 2027 comparison. Counselors can rank the 11 standalone plans by estimated yearly cost for your prescriptions.
4
Ask about savings programs. SHIIP also screens for Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs.
Key 2027 Dates for North Carolina Enrollees
Calendar
✔
October 15 to December 7, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period to join or switch a Part D plan
✔
January 1, 2027: new coverage starts, along with the $2,400 cap and negotiated prices for 15 more drugs
✔
January 1 to March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage enrollees get one more change, including a move back to Original Medicare with a standalone plan
✔
Turning 65 later in 2027: your Initial Enrollment Period runs seven months around your birthday month
Missing every window can trigger a lifelong late penalty. The 2027 penalty grows by 1% of the $41.33 base premium for each full month without creditable drug coverage. To see how out-of-pocket spending builds toward the cap through the year, read the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum explainer.
The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
North Carolina enters 2027 with 11 standalone drug plans in our count, including two Blue Medicare Rx plans you will not find outside the state. With a $700 deductible ceiling and a $2,400 cap, total drug spending near $7,500 is where the cap kicks in under the standard design. People living with HIV should look at HMAP, and anyone can get a free plan review from SHIIP.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) to get information on all of your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
➤ How many Part D plans can North Carolinians choose from in 2027?
Eleven standalone plans in our count of CMS 2027 plan filings, from six sponsors. Medicare Plan Finder totals may differ slightly.
➤ Is Blue Cross NC selling a drug-only plan for 2027?
Yes. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina filed Blue Medicare Rx Standard and Blue Medicare Rx Enhanced for 2027 in our count.
➤ Do plan choices change between Raleigh and the mountains?
Not for standalone drug plans, which cover the whole state. Medicare Advantage choices do change, from 94 plans in Forsyth and Guilford to 17 in Carteret in our count.
➤ How much do I have to spend on drugs to hit the 2027 cap?
Under the standard design, about $7,500 in total drug spending gets you to the $2,400 out-of-pocket limit. Plans with copays may get there on a different path.
➤ Can HMAP pay my Part D premium?
No. HMAP members with Medicare pay their own premiums, while the program covers the remaining cost of medications their Part D plan covers.
➤ What does SHIIP stand for?
The Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, a free counseling service of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
➤ Is SilverScript offered in North Carolina for 2027?
Yes. Aetna’s SilverScript Choice is one of the 11 plans in our count.
➤ Does UnitedHealthcare offer drug plans in North Carolina for 2027?
Yes, two: Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC and Medicare Rx Saver from UHC.
ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.
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