Medicare Supplement

What's changing for Medigap in Charlotte for 2027: rules, rates and reset dates

Charlotte, N.C. — If you have a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy in Charlotte, or you're thinking about buying one, a handful of moving parts reset each year. For 2027, the plan-letter menu stays the same, the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around will reset to a new federal figure, and insurers will file their yearly rate adjustments with North Carolina regulators. Here is a plain-English look at what's changing — and what isn't — in Mecklenburg County.

Medicare SupplementCharlotte, NC

What's staying the same in 2027

The list of standardized Medigap plans available to newly eligible North Carolinians doesn't change for 2027. If you're turning 65 or otherwise coming onto Medicare for the first time, you can shop from Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD (high deductible), K, L, M and N.

Plans C and F remain closed to anyone whose Medicare eligibility began on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date, you can still buy or keep those plans, but the pool of people in them is no longer growing.

The benefits inside each lettered plan are also standardized by federal rule. A Plan G is a Plan G in terms of what it covers, no matter which company sells it. What varies between insurers is the premium and the customer service, not the benefit chart.

The Part B deductible reset that matters for Plans G and N

Plans G and N — the two most commonly chosen options for people newly eligible — are designed to pay most Part B cost-sharing after you meet the Part B deductible each year. That deductible is a federal figure that CMS resets every January.

When the 2027 number is announced by CMS, that becomes the amount a Plan G or Plan N holder in Charlotte will pay out of pocket before their supplement kicks in on Part B services. It's the same nationwide; it isn't set by your insurer or by North Carolina.

You can confirm the 2027 figure on medicare.gov once it's published, typically in the fall.

Rate-adjustment season in North Carolina

Medigap premiums aren't set by Medicare. In North Carolina, insurers file proposed rates with the North Carolina Department of Insurance, and adjustments generally take effect on a schedule tied to each carrier's policy year.

That means two people in Charlotte with the same lettered plan from different companies can pay very different premiums — and the same person's premium can shift year to year even when the benefits don't change. This is normal, and it's why comparing rates during your own renewal window is worth doing.

To see what's currently filed and available:

• Use the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search at medicare.gov, entering your Charlotte ZIP code.
• Ask for the North Carolina Medigap rate guide from the NC Department of Insurance (NCDOI).
• Call the North Carolina SHIIP (the state's Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program), which offers free, unbiased counseling.

Insurers entering or leaving the state

Carriers occasionally enter or leave the North Carolina Medigap market, and their filings become public through NCDOI. Because that list changes throughout the year, the most current source is the state rate guide and the Medicare.gov policy search, not a static article. If you're shopping in Charlotte, checking both a few weeks before your birthday month or your policy anniversary will show you who is actively writing new business in Mecklenburg County.

Your rights when you switch or shop

Two Medigap rules are worth remembering, because they don't change in 2027:

• Your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period is the six months that start the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurers must sell you any plan they offer at their best available rate, regardless of health history.
• Outside that window, insurers in North Carolina can generally use medical underwriting when you apply — meaning they can consider your health. There are some guaranteed-issue situations (for example, if certain coverage ends involuntarily). The SHIIP can walk you through whether you qualify.

How this fits with the rest of your Medicare in 2026–2027

A Medigap policy sits alongside Original Medicare and, usually, a separate Part D drug plan. A few program-level facts worth keeping in mind as you plan:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026, and the Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025 — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments.
• IRMAA income surcharges for higher earners begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
• The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31. Medigap has its own rules and isn't tied to these windows.