For health insurance in Greensboro, residents shop HealthCare.gov during Open Enrollment, Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027, with premium tax credits for most incomes from 138% to 400% of poverty and NC Medicaid below that. Check that Cone Health doctors are in-network; uninsured adults can ask about Guilford County’s Orange Card.
Updated for the 2027 plan year (October 2026)
Health insurance Greensboro families can buy: 2027 dates and where to shop
Greensboro is in Guilford County, and North Carolina uses the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15, 2026 for a January 1 start; plans chosen from December 16 to January 15 start February 1.
Five insurers filed 2027 individual-market rates with the NC Department of Insurance, with proposed average changes from 8.5% to 27.4%, and Cigna is leaving the individual market after 2026. Final rates come after state review, and the list of insurers in Guilford County appears when you enter your ZIP code.
Missed the window? Losing other coverage, moving, marrying or having a baby usually opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period. Our Open Enrollment 2027 guide has every date, and the North Carolina health insurance guide covers statewide rules.
Uninsured in Guilford County: where to get care
Guilford County has more local safety-net options than many North Carolina counties. They are not health insurance. Greensboro residents can still use them to get care while they qualify for Medicaid or wait for a Marketplace plan to start.
- Guilford Community Care Network Orange Card: a local program that connects uninsured adults who don’t qualify for other coverage with medical care. NC Health News reports it serves adults 19 to 64 at or below 200% of poverty. Cards must be renewed every six months; bilingual staff take applications at the Department of Social Services on Maple Street.
- Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine: a federally qualified health center that sees patients regardless of ability to pay, with Greensboro offices on West Northwood Street and Arlington Street and pediatrics on East Wendover Avenue.
- Guilford County Division of Public Health: adult services for uninsured and underinsured low-income residents, including reduced-rate family planning, at its East Wendover Avenue clinic.
The NC MedAssist free pharmacy serves uninsured North Carolina residents under 300% of poverty statewide. If your income is close to these lines, apply for Medicaid too; the clinics can often help with the paperwork.
NC Medicaid and the 2027 work rule in Guilford County
NC Medicaid covers adults 19 to 64 with income up to 138% of poverty, which is $22,025 for one person or $37,702 for a household of three in 2026 guidelines. You can apply year-round through ePASS or at Guilford County DSS.
From January 1, 2027, most expansion adults must show 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering, or monthly earnings equal to 80 hours at the federal minimum wage, unless exempt, and renew every six months, according to NC Medicaid. Exempt groups include parents of children under 14, people with disabilities and pregnant women.
Watch your mail: people who lose Medicaid for not meeting the work rule can also be barred from Marketplace premium tax credits. The Guilford Community Care Network expects more applicants once the rule starts, a sign of how many local adults could be affected. Keep pay stubs and volunteer logs, and answer every DSS notice.
Honesty.AI checks where your income lands and compares every Guilford County plan.
Cone Health and your plan’s network
Cone Health is Greensboro’s largest hospital system, running Moses Cone Hospital on North Church Street and Wesley Long Hospital on West Friendly Avenue. Many Greensboro primary care and specialty practices are affiliated with it, so when you compare health insurance Greensboro plans, check the network first.
Search each plan’s directory for your doctors, the hospital you would want and any specialists you see. In southwestern Guilford County, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center may matter more to you than Cone, so check it too.
Cone Health’s financial assistance program gives a full discount on eligible care to North Carolina residents at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and partial discounts from 201% to 400%. If you already have a large Cone bill, ask about it before paying.
NC A&T, UNCG and other students
Greensboro is a college town. North Carolina A&T enrolled 15,275 students in fall 2025, making it the largest public HBCU in the country, and UNC Greensboro adds thousands more. When it comes to health insurance, Greensboro students and recent graduates face a few choices that most residents don’t.
- UNCG’s insurance rule: UNC Greensboro requires eligible students to carry health insurance, either the university’s Student Blue plan or proof of other coverage through a waiver (UNCG Student Health).
- Parent’s plan: you can stay on a parent’s plan until 26, even if it’s based in another state; check whether its network reaches Greensboro.
- Graduation: losing student coverage opens a Special Enrollment Period for a Marketplace plan.
Students with little income should check NC Medicaid first. Our 2027 subsidies guide explains how the premium tax credit works once you start earning.
Refugee and immigrant families in Greensboro
Greensboro has long been a refugee resettlement community, and federal rule changes hit these families hardest. Starting October 1, 2026, NC Medicaid eligibility narrowed for many lawfully present immigrants: green card holders, children, pregnant women and some other groups keep coverage, while refugees, asylees and people with Temporary Protected Status generally no longer qualify, as NC Health News reported.
Marketplace premium tax credits narrow on January 1, 2027, to citizens, green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and certain COFA migrants. Emergency Medicaid remains for true emergencies. Our guide to the 2027 immigrant rules explains who is affected, and the Orange Card and community health centers remain options for many families.
Hourly, shift and seasonal workers
Many Greensboro jobs in logistics, manufacturing, health care and retail pay by the hour, with overtime and seasonal swings. Your 2027 premium tax credit is based on what you expect to earn for the whole year, so make a realistic estimate and update HealthCare.gov when hours change.
If your hours drop and income falls under 138% of poverty, apply for Medicaid right away. If your employer offers coverage, it blocks your own credit only when the employee-only premium is no more than 10.22% of household income in 2027 and the plan meets minimum value. Family members are tested separately.
At or below 250% of poverty, compare Silver plans carefully. Only Silver plans carry cost-sharing reductions, which shrink deductibles and copays well below the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum of $12,000 for one person.
Free help with health insurance Greensboro residents can use
The NC Navigator Consortium offers free, unbiased enrollment help across North Carolina by phone, in person and online. Call 1-855-733-3711 or book at ncnavigator.org, and book early, because appointments fill up near December 15.
Honesty is a licensed agency that helps by chat, voice or text at any hour. Whichever route you choose, bring your expected 2027 income, everyone’s birthdates, your doctors and your prescriptions. For statewide savings strategies, see affordable health insurance in North Carolina, and for the state’s largest metro, our Charlotte guide.
Comparing health insurance Greensboro plans side by side, with networks and drug lists included, is the most reliable way to avoid surprises in 2027.
Find your Greensboro plan the honest way
Honesty.AI is the world’s first patented, licensed AI insurance agent. It compares ACA, alternative and ancillary plans based on your family’s needs and is on your side, by chat, voice or text, 24/7. Honesty Is Your Best Policy®.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Orange Card in Guilford County?
It is a Guilford Community Care Network program that connects uninsured adults who don’t qualify for other coverage with medical care. It is not insurance, and the card must be renewed every six months.
Does Cone Health offer financial assistance?
Yes. Cone Health’s program gives North Carolina residents a full discount on eligible care at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and partial discounts from 201% to 400%.
Do UNCG students need health insurance?
UNC Greensboro requires eligible students to have coverage, either the Student Blue plan or other insurance proven through a waiver.
Can refugees in Greensboro still get health coverage in 2027?
Rules tightened. Since October 1, 2026, many refugees and asylees no longer qualify for NC Medicaid, and Marketplace tax credits narrow on January 1, 2027. Emergency Medicaid, community health centers and the Orange Card may still help.
When is the deadline for 2027 coverage in Greensboro?
Open Enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
Keep learning: read the North Carolina health insurance guide, affordable health insurance in North Carolina, our Charlotte health insurance guide, Open Enrollment 2027, and how Honesty.AI works.
