Medicare 2026

SHIP and licensed agents for Medicare in Jacksonville NC

Medicare decisions can feel heavy, especially when the mailbox fills up with brochures and the phone starts ringing every October. If you live in Jacksonville, North Carolina, you don't have to sort through it alone — and you don't have to pay someone to help you understand your options.

Two kinds of help are available locally: your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which is free and unbiased, and licensed insurance agents, who can walk you through specific plans. Both have a place. Knowing the difference is the key to getting answers you can trust.

What SHIP is and why it's different

SHIP stands for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. In North Carolina, it goes by the name SHIIP — the Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program — and it operates out of the state Department of Insurance.

SHIIP counselors are trained volunteers and staff. They do not sell insurance, they do not earn commissions, and they don't have a plan to push. Their job is simply to explain your choices — Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap, Extra Help, and Medicare Savings Programs — so you can make an informed decision.

You can reach SHIIP by calling 1-855-408-1212 or by visiting ncshiip.com to find a local counselor near Jacksonville.

What licensed agents do

Licensed agents are also useful, but they play a different role. An agent is appointed by one or more insurance carriers and can actually enroll you in a plan. A good agent will explain your options clearly and answer questions honestly.

A few things to keep in mind when you meet with an agent:

• Ask which carriers they are appointed with. Some represent many, some only a few.
• Ask if they will review both Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D options.
• You are never required to enroll on the spot. Take the paperwork home.
• Under CMS rules, agents must give you a Scope of Appointment form before discussing plans.

The Jacksonville area picture

Jacksonville is in Onslow County, where the Medicare Advantage landscape for 2026 includes 22 plans offered by 3 carriers with MA-PD (Medicare Advantage with drug coverage) options. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. The county has about 21,189 residents age 65 and older, so demand for good, clear guidance is real.

Availability, formularies, and provider networks change each year. Even if you like your current plan, it's worth checking your Annual Notice of Change letter this fall to see what's shifting for 2027.

2027 rules worth knowing

A few program-wide facts apply no matter which plan you choose:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025 — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA (higher-income surcharges) starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

These rules come from Medicare itself, so they apply to every plan on the market.

Key dates for your calendar

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in an MA plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.