Health insurance costs are set to rise in 2026 for many North Carolinians, after Congress decided not to vote on extending Affordable Care Act insurance tax credits, which were cut in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and expire at the end of the year.
As the NC State Health Plan faces a $507 million deficit, veteran NC teachers say shrinking benefits and rising out-of-pocket costs are driving them out of the classroom.
With the federal shutdown entering its fourth week, spurred by a stalemate over the cost of health insurance for 22 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans, a new report shows that over 154 million people with coverage through an employer also face steep price hikes — and that the situation is likely to get worse.
Floodwaters, rats, and mold once threatened to derail a Haywood County family’s future—until Medicaid helped them find safe housing. Now advocates warn stories like theirs may disappear under Republicans’ “big beautiful bill.”
To control costs, nearly all health insurers use a system called prior authorization, which requires patients or their providers to seek approval before they can get certain procedures, tests, and prescriptions.
| December 23, 2025
| December 22, 2025
| October 22, 2025
| September 25, 2025
| September 23, 2025
