Healthcare News & Stories

If your senior parent, relative or friend asks for your help in choosing health insurance coverage, there are several things you can do to support them.
How can I help a senior parent, relative or friend find health coverage?
Whether Medicare or other coverage, there are things to consider when trying to help your senior parent, relative or friend find health insurance. It’s not an easy subject to discuss, and it involves talking about sensitive topics like personal health and finances. It will take time and research to select the best plan. Here are four things to consider.

Complete guide to dependent eligibility for health insurance. Learn who qualifies—spouses, children, domestic partners—and explore coverage options for non-family members, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACA marketplace plans.

Insurance involves monthly premiums, deductibles, categories, out-of-pocket expenses, out-of-network costs, and premium tax credits. For many people, these terms can cause stress and confusion.
Those searching for the best individual or family plan often encounter these daunting terms. It can be hard to fully understand what it means and how it impacts your bottom line. Plus, you may not know how to compare plans effectively.
In this article, we’ll dive into areas you should consider when looking at healthcare plans and why they matter. You’ll also learn about the best family health insurance plans and how to choose the right one.

Upon turning 65, many seniors opt to enroll in Medicare. Medicare is federal health insurance coverage designed to support individuals over 65, who have eligible disabilities, or who have End Stage Renal Disease. While Medicare offers multiple parts and is considered quality healthcare, it isn’t comprehensive enough for everyone. So what is the best health insurance for seniors on Medicare?
For most Americans, medical insurance can be quite costly. Finding affordable health insurance alongside Medicare that covers basic needs, emergency care, long-term care, prescription drug coverage, and dental can be quite challenging. Some private insurance companies can raise monthly premiums as you age, making it very difficult to pay for the coverage you need.
The purpose of this article is to explore health insurance options for seniors on Medicare, and to help them find the best option available. For more information about health insurance options in the state of North Carolina, explore our website today. 

Health insurance is essential, as individuals should receive comprehensive coverage for various medical procedures and expenses. However, trying to find the right insurance plan at an affordable price can feel overwhelming. Proper information lets you learn more about potential costs and what to look for when choosing a coverage plan. This article will answer the question, “How much is health insurance for a family of 3? We will tell you everything you need to know to make the best decision. 
What is the Average Cost of Health Insurance for a Family of 3
A variety of factors determine the price of health insurance. To begin, you must understand the different expenses you must pay. Every month, you will pay a monthly premium. This is a decided amount you must pay to receive health coverage. Then, there is your deductible, the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance begins to provide coverage. Once the deductible is met, various cost-sharing methods will be implemented. 

Complete guide to child-only health insurance in NC for 2026. Compare NC Health Choice, Medicaid, and ACA marketplace options. Understand income limits, coverage benefits, and enrollment requirements.

Group health insurance covers employees or organization members at lower premiums through shared risk and employer contributions. It often includes family coverage, dental/vision options, and strong protection against medical costs.

Medigap Plan M is a type of Medicare Supplement Plan offering basic coverage to help cover the gap for costs not covered by Original Medicare Part A and Part B. It provides a low monthly premium, but you must pay for half of your hospital deductible and 100% of your yearly outpatient deductible. 

Medigap Plan D is a mid-level Medicare Supplement plan that covers most out-of-pocket costs except the Part B deductible and Part B excess charges. Here's what you need to know.

Medigap Plan A is the most basic Medicare Supplement plan, covering core benefits at typically the lowest premium. While it helps with Part A and Part B coinsurance, it leaves you responsible for deductibles and other costs. Here's what you need to know.

When you're a part of an employer-sponsored high-deductible plan or health savings account plan, you might want to consider purchasing a High-Deductible Plan G supplement also known as a Medigap plan. This plan is similar to the High Deductible Plan F, but it doesn’t provide coverage for your Medicare Part B deductible. 

Perhaps more than any other industry, health care represents the collision of humanity and technology—nothing is more personal than our health care. But for many, determining the best option for care is an overwhelming process. Knowing when to seek care can be just as difficult as combing through the volume of medical information offered online. This can lead to people spending more time, more money and using more services across the health care system than necessary.
At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), we are working to provide a more simplified health care experience for our members. By combining technology and human interaction, we’re helping members find the right resources for their care journeys.
High-Tech: Putting the Right Tools in the Hands of Members

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is your yearly opportunity to review and change your Medicare coverage. With significant new benefits for 2026—including negotiated drug prices on 10 medications and a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap—this year's review is more important than ever.

Over 2.2 million North Carolinians are enrolled in Medicare. Whether you're newly eligible or looking to review your coverage, these frequently asked questions cover what you need to know about Medicare costs, enrollment, and coverage options in 2025-2026.

Medicare late enrollment penalties can add lifelong extra costs to Parts A, B, and D if you miss your Initial Enrollment Period without creditable coverage. Enroll on time, verify employer plans, and keep proof to avoid fees.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have brought renewed urgency to the issue, the need for more cost transparency has long been part of the conversation about the future of health care. Beneath the partisan wrangling in Washington lies a serious issue. Not only is health care expensive, but it can be difficult for consumers to know just how much care costs until the final bill arrives. Managing medical costs starts with knowing what they are in the first place. At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, we support the concept of cost transparency. We’re leading the way in making it a reality, not only for our members, but for all North Carolinians.
Cost transparency at your fingertips
It’s hard to believe, but the cost for many common procedures can vary by thousands – in some cases tens of thousands of dollars – within the same city. When consumers don’t have easy access to this information, they are not only in the dark about the total cost of their care, but more importantly how much it will cost them out-of-pocket. A Blue Cross NC analysis showed that some North Carolinians will spend up to 25% of their take-home pay solely on medical expenses. That can be a massive financial burden for families to bear.An early innovator in cost transparency, Blue Cross NC launched a groundbreaking cost comparison tool in 2012 that enables members to compare cost and quality for common procedures before they make important care decisions. Just as consumers can shop for cars or smart phones by doing research before making a purchase, we’re empowering patients to be better informed health care consumers. When patients see that costs for the same surgery in the same area can vary by as much as $19,000, they realize they can choose more affordable options.[1] In 2015, we went a step further and made the tool available to all North Carolinians. Everyone in North Carolina, whether they are a Blue Cross NC member or not, can quickly search for common procedures like MRIs, knee replacements or mammograms and see how the cost compares between nearby providers.

Early retirement often disrupts employer health insurance, leaving you to fund coverage via COBRA, spouse plans, Marketplace subsidies, or short-term options until Medicare at 65. Our NC agents help find affordable solutions.

Understand the key differences between licensed health insurance agents and Marketplace Navigators to make an informed decision about who can best help you enroll in health coverage. This comprehensive comparison explores qualifications, training, services, and scope of support from each option. Learn when a licensed agent's personalized recommendations and ongoing support might be valuable, and when a Navigator's specialized Marketplace expertise and community-based assistance could be the right fit. Discover what services each can provide—from subsidy calculations and plan comparisons to post-enrollment support—and get practical guidance on choosing the assistance that matches your needs, preferences, and insurance goals. Both options are completely free to consumers.

Mental health professionals are in high demand right now. Given that we’re eighteen months into a deadly global pandemic, this is no surprise. Many of us are grieving the loss of loved ones, jobs, plans, and normalcy. And if that’s not hard enough, the stresses of our everyday lives haven’t stopped.
At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), your total health is our top priority, now more than ever, including your mental and emotional health.
If you’re struggling with your mental health and need some extra support, you’re not alone. Studies show that the rate of anxiety and depression has risen significantly among American adults during the pandemic. And our children’s mental health is suffering, too.

It’s curious how well-versed we are in the physical benefits of hiking. The activity can:
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Reduce your risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure. (Hiking regularly has been shown to lower blood pressure by 4 to 10 points.)

In a tizzy over what to do for mom for Mother’s Day? It’s simple, really: she just wants to be with the family. And what better family activity is there, especially in spring, than taking a hike together!
Here are five hikes across the state that are especially good for a Mother’s Day outing. Included are the miles of trail available and a link for additional information.
1. Flower Hill Nature Preserve, Johnston County

Growing up I saw men in my family struggle with real emotions and avoid most deep conversations. I partly blame this on my Italian heritage, where men are expected to work hard, avoid feelings and push through pain. In my family, a man’s role was to provide and protect the family at all costs. If you showed any sign of weakness, that meant you were not in control.
As a kid I straddled two worlds: one trying to be the man that I thought was expected of me, and the other wanting to be able to express my feelings. I was an emotional kid, and I know it was hard for my dad to relate to me.
My emotions were all over the place:

We know racism and discrimination lead to health disparities and impact the health and safety of our employees, members and communities. Health inequity impacts all North Carolinians. North Carolina is consistently in the lower percentile of state health rankings. *Data shows our state’s health system ranked #36 of 50 states and #46 of 50 states for disparities. Think about that – #46 of 50 states. To ensure healthy communities for generations to come, we must work to transition from the bottom quartile to the top quartile.
At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), we cannot fulfill our mission to improve the health and well-being of our customers and communities without explicitly addressing disparities and health inequities. While we’ve laid groundwork as a company on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts for more than a decade, our work does not stop.
Like many companies, this summer we released a message standing against racism. We commissioned an internal task force to think about what Blue Cross NC should and can be doing for:

It’s that time of year; flu season is upon us. That means flu shots.
Maybe you’re ready to go and are rushing to Target because they’re offering discounts to shoppers who get the flu shot as an incentive. Great! You know the importance of getting the flu shot, not just for yourself but for your loved ones, too.
But maybe you’re not so ready. Maybe you’ve heard something that’s swayed your opinion this year. Something that scared you or made you think twice. We get it. Every year rumors circulate about getting vaccinated, from the outlandish to the plausible. And it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not, especially in this age of lightning fast communications.