At first glance, Medicare Advantage (MA) competition in North Carolina appears to be split between urban and rural markets, with the nation’s top MA company, UnitedHealth, leading in the cities and second-ranked Humana ahead in the rural areas. However, the statewide market picture is complicated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, which competes strongly in the Triad cities of the northern Piedmont, North Carolina’s largest MA market, and runs a close third in metropolitan Charlotte, the state’s largest urban area.

This article was published in Medicare Business Online on January 15, 2010. Copies are available to prospective clients on request.