Barbers may be used to having business just walk through the door, but that's not typically the case for health insurance brokers.

Theresa Pugh stopped at a store near Lord & Taylor after eating at the restaurant a few doors down.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Wilmington Health have entered into an accountable care alliance with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. The agreement allows the three organizations to share information regarding best practices, preventive care and cost management.

Bike mechanic Jared Harber pedals as much as 150 miles a week, at no small peril to his safety. Just in the past year and a half, he has wiped out, flipped over and been sideswiped by cars.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Inc. has released price ranges for its health-insurance products tied to the Affordable Care Act.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina announced pricing information for plans under the Affordable Care Act, the first North Carolina insurer to put out specific rates.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will offer individual health plans through new on-line exchanges ranging from $185 for the lowest-cost plan for 25-year-olds to $947 for the top plan for a 60-year old.

North Carolinians will get an early peek Thursday into what health insurance plans purchased through a new online marketplace will cost when Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, the state's largest insurer, releases its premiums.

On-site amenities include health clinics, gyms and lactation facilities. Child care centers at each location boost employee morale and decrease absenteeism. Employees are offered tuition reimbursements, flexible schedules, support groups and wellness programs. Options such as part-time work, a compressed workweek, job-sharing and telecommuting can make balancing a career and a family easier for employees. - See more at: http://www.ncfamilyfriendly.com/2013-companies/blue-cross-blue-shield.html#sthash.4QvYsWAH.dpuf

Fortunately for North Carolinians, the federal government and private organizations are filling the void left when the state abdicated its role in the Affordable Care Act.