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Wilmington · Cape Fear region, NC

Affordable Healthcare in Wilmington

Wilmington, Ogden, Castle Hayne and Monkey Junction. A fast-growing port city with one hospital system today, and three health systems competing to add more beds.

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Answer 6 quick questions to see what Direct Primary Care plus health sharing could cost your household.

Buying your own plan in Wilmington & New Hanover County

Wilmington had 115,451 people at the 2020 census (source), and an estimated 125,284 by 2024 (source). The metro area was the seventh fastest-growing in the country from 2024 to 2025 (source). Almost one in five New Hanover County residents is 65 or older (source).

The Wilmington households who call us are mostly the ones without an employer plan: contractors and trades businesses, real-estate agents, restaurant and hospitality owners, film and TV freelancers, and couples who retired here before 65. North Carolina's individual-plan prices rose about 28.6% on average for 2026 (source), and approved increases for 2027 range from 8.35% to 27.36% depending on the insurer (source).

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Towns we help in Wilmington & New Hanover County

  • Wilmington · New Hanover County · 115,451 people (2020)
    Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center; UNC Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College.
  • Ogden and Porters Neck · North New Hanover County
    Growing neighborhoods along US 17 toward Novant's new Scotts Hill Medical Center.
  • Castle Hayne · North New Hanover County
    Semi-rural area off I-140 and US 117, north of the city.
  • Monkey Junction and Masonboro · South New Hanover County
    Busy suburbs between the city and Carolina Beach Road.

Don't see your town? We help anywhere in the Cape Fear region. Tell us where you are.

Atlantic OceanUS 17I-40NC 211US 421WilmingtonLelandBoliviaSouthportOak IslandShallotteSunset BeachHampsteadBurgawSurf CityCarolina BeachKure BeachWrightsville Beach

Sketch map; roads drawn town to town and the coast outlined roughly. This area is highlighted; tap another town to open its guide.

One hospital system today, and a contest for 225 more beds

Novant Health owns the only hospital in New Hanover County, the 823-bed New Hanover Regional Medical Center (source). The state's 2026 medical facilities plan found the county needs 225 more hospital beds, and three systems applied for them: Novant wants to add all 225 at its main campus, UNC Health proposed a new 150-bed hospital, and Atrium Health proposed a 42-bed one. Together the bids top $1.4 billion (source). The state can split the beds between applicants (source), and a decision was expected by the end of 2026 (source).

New hospitals take years to build. So for the next few years, most care here will still be at Novant. That matters for how you pay. On a Marketplace plan, check that your plan's network includes the hospital and doctors you use.

Health sharing doesn't use a network at all. You're a self-pay patient anywhere. Ask for the cash price before planned care, and call the sharing program first. It negotiates bills over $1,000. If a new hospital opens, nothing about your membership changes.

Who it fits here, and who should stay on insurance

Usually a good fit: healthy individuals and families who buy their own plan, self-employed people, early retirees under 65, and households whose income is too high for much Marketplace help.

Usually better on insurance: anyone who qualifies for NC Medicaid, anyone with a serious ongoing condition who needs it paid for in year one, anyone planning a pregnancy in the next nine months, anyone who needs regular mental-health therapy, and anyone whose tax credit makes an ACA plan cheap.

In this area specifically: If you or your spouse can get a good plan through Novant, UNCW, the school system or a large employer, compare it before you drop it.

Not sure which side you're on? Tell us about your household or call (910) 812-0954.

Illustrative example · October 2026

Single Wilmington contractor, age 34

$179.56 /month

Member only, oldest member 30–39, $2,500 Initial Unshareable Amount per Need, non-tobacco. Combined medical cost sharing + virtual primary care membership. Optional dental savings plan from $8.95/month. Not a quote; your amount depends on your household.

See the full price table →

Questions we hear from this area

Can I use New Hanover Regional Medical Center with health sharing?

Yes. Health sharing doesn't use a provider network, so members can use any licensed hospital, including Novant's Wilmington hospitals. You pay as a self-pay patient, then submit eligible bills. Ask for the self-pay price, and call the sharing program before planned care.

Will a new hospital in Wilmington change anything for me?

Not for health sharing, which has no network. For a Marketplace plan, check each year which hospitals and doctors are in your plan's network, since that can change.

Is this health insurance?

No. Health care sharing and direct primary care are alternatives to insurance. Sharing is voluntary and not guaranteed, and it isn't Minimum Essential Coverage. North Carolina has no state penalty for going without insurance.

Other Cape Fear areas: Leland & Northern Brunswick County · Southport, Oak Island & the Brunswick Beaches · Hampstead, Burgaw & Pender County · Carolina Beach, Kure Beach & Wrightsville Beach

Read more: every option compared · what it costs · health sharing in North Carolina · direct primary care

Written and reviewed by Graham Kerswell. Last updated November 5, 2026. Facts and prices are checked against the sources named on this page.

Sources

Compare your options in Wilmington & New Hanover County

Tell us who needs care and what you pay now. We'll walk you through the options, including when insurance is the better fit.

Get my optionsCall (910) 812-0954

Free, no obligation. Wilmington, Brunswick, Pender and Cape Fear households.

Health care sharing
Health care sharing ministries are not insurance and are not regulated as insurance. Sharing of medical expenses is voluntary and not guaranteed. Review each organization's guidelines for details, limitations, and state-specific notices.

North Carolina notice (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-49-12)
North Carolina law asks health care sharing organizations to give members this notice: “NOTICE: The organization facilitating the sharing of medical expenses is not an insurance company and neither its guidelines nor its plan of operation is an insurance policy. Whether anyone chooses to assist you with your medical bills will be voluntary. No other participant will be compelled by law to contribute toward your medical bills. As such, participation in the organization or a subscription to any of its documents should never be considered to be insurance. Regardless of whether you receive any payment for medical expenses or whether this organization continues to operate, you are always personally liable for the payment of your own medical bills.” Health care sharing is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Direct primary care
Direct primary care is a membership with a primary care practice. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-3-8, a medical direct primary care agreement is not insurance and is not subject to North Carolina's insurance laws; the agreement must be in writing and must state prominently that it is not health insurance. A DPC membership does not pay for specialists, hospital care or emergencies, and it is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Discount plans
THIS PLAN IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance. A discount plan provides discounts at participating providers and does not make payments to providers; the member pays the discounted fee. Discount plan organization: Careington International Corporation, 7400 Gaylord Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034. Discount plans are not ACA Qualified Health Plans.

How we're paid
We may receive compensation from some organizations we recommend. This does not change our evaluation of how they work. See our Referral Marketing Disclosure.

Not advice
This page is general information, not medical, legal, tax or financial advice. Prices are examples, not quotes; they depend on your household and can change. Affordable Healthcare Wilmington is not an insurance agency and does not sell insurance. We help individuals and families explore alternatives to insurance, including direct primary care, health care sharing and discount plans.