North Carolina
Affordable Care Act subsidies debate could impact North Carolina healthcare costs
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The recent government shutdown highlighted a continuing battle over healthcare, specifically the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
The outcome of this debate in Washington could significantly impact how much North Carolinians pay for their health insurance.
For 67-year-old Gerry Fiesler and his 62-year-old wife, Kelly, healthcare is essential. Gerry Fiesler is on Medicare, but Kelly Fiesler, who has an autoimmune disease and Crohn’s disease, relies on the ACA Marketplace.
Thanks to expanded federal subsidies, they currently pay just $60 a month for Kelly Fiesler’s coverage. However, if these subsidies expire, their bill could jump to over $450 – a 750% increase.
“It’s a good program. It really is. The insurance is good. It was affordable,” Kelly Fiesler said. “I think because of the income I reported was a little more they put us in a tier. I think the deductibles are higher a lot of changes. I haven’t even approved the plan yet for 100%.”
Facing rising costs for food, gas, and other necessities, the Fieseler’s have made the difficult decision to sell their retirement home of eight years.
“We have to do that, it’s the only way we may survive this. It’s about survival. I don’t know how long it’s going to last with us with the money and all. I may have to go back to work,” Gerry Fiesler said.
The number of North Carolinians insured through the ACA Marketplace has doubled since before the pandemic, from 500,000 to nearly 1 million, largely due to the affordability subsidies provided.
Nicholas Riggs, Director of the NC Navigator Consortium, warns of the consequences if subsidies are not extended.
“Without the enhanced subsidies, people are seeing their premiums jump two to three times what they are right now,” Riggs said “And not only that, but for individuals who are above 400% of the federal poverty level, they will have to pay full price for marketplace plans if the enhanced subsidies aren’t extended.”
Who currently qualifies for enhanced subsidies?
- Individuals making up to $62,000
- Couples making up to $84,000
- Families of four making up to $128,000
If subsidies expire, the previous rules will return, potentially eliminating eligibility for many middle-income households, including those who are too young for Medicare and do not qualify for Medicaid, yet cannot afford to go without medical care.
“The American dream is slowly getting out of reach for most people, I think,” Gerry Fieseler said.
Riggs advised against panic, stating that even if enhanced subsidies expire, other subsidies and marketplace plans will still be available.
“There are four different categories of plans. There’s bronze, which covers 60% of out-of-pocket costs, silver, which roughly covers 70% of out-of-pocket costs, gold, 80%, and platinum, 90%. So we always want to make sure that folks do know that there are health coverage options available in the marketplace, regardless of what’s going to happen with the subsidies,” Riggs said. “And it is much better to protect yourself against a health emergency and have coverage, even if it’s a bronze plan, than to go without coverage at all. So explore your options.”
The decision by Congress will determine whether hundreds of thousands in North Carolina maintain their health coverage. Navigators recommend checking options early and not panicking.
Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.
North Carolina
2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers
Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:
BERTIE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)
CARTERET COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)
CRAVEN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)
DUPLIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)
EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)
GREENE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)
HYDE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)
JONES COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)
LENOIR COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)
MARTIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)
ONSLOW COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)
PAMLICO COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)
PITT COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)
TYRRELL COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
30.49% (723 out of 2,371)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)
WAYNE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)
North Carolina
Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.
The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.
The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.
Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.
SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend
Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo
Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.
North Carolina
North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam
Nida Allam in 2022; Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in 2025.
Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional district as ballots continue to be counted.
In a race seen as an early test of whether Democratic voters desire generational change within the party, Foushee holds a lead of just over 1,000 votes with 99% of results in so far, according to the Associated Press.
Under state law, provisional votes will be counted in the coming days in a district that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. If the election results end up within a 1% margin, Allam could request a recount.
Successfully ousting an incumbent lawmaker is often extremely difficult and rare. However, there have been recent upsets in races as some voters are calling for new leaders and several sitting members of Congress face primary challengers this cycle.
Allam, a 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner, is running to the left of Foushee, 69, framing her candidacy as part of a broader rejection of longtime Democratic norms.
On the campaign trail, Allam ran on an anti-establishment message, pledging to be a stronger fighter than Foushee in Congress, both in standing up against President Trump’s agenda and when pushing for more ambitious policy.
“North Carolina is a purple state that often gets labeled red, but we’re not a red state,” she told NPR in an interview last month, emphasizing the need to address affordability concerns. “We are a state of working-class folks who just want their elected officials to champion the issues that are impacting them.”
She drew a contrast with the congresswoman on immigration, voicing support for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foushee has declined to go that far, advocating instead for ICE to be defunded and for broader reforms to the federal immigration system.
Allam also clashed with Foushee over U.S. policy towards Israel. As a vocal opponent of Israel’s war in Gaza, Allam swore off campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, and repeatedly criticized Foushee for previously accepting such funds.
Though Foushee announced last year that she would not accept AIPAC donations this cycle, she and Allam continued to spar over the broader role of outside spending in the race.
Their matchup comes four years after the candidates first squared off in 2022, when Allam lost to Foushee in what became the most expensive primary in the state’s history, with outside groups spending more than $3.8 million.
However, this year is poised to break that record. Outside groups have reported spending more than $4.4 million on the primary matchup, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
WUNC’s Colin Campbell contributed to this report.
-
World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Wisconsin3 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Maryland4 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Florida4 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Oregon6 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks