NC state-run exchange numbers rising

Federal officials announced North Carolina is one of the states seeing enrollment figures for the Affordable Care Act boost as residents seek coverage before the Dec. 23 deadline, according to the Charlotte Observer. 

Application numbers were dismal in October, the same month the marketplace was introduced, with only 1,600 North Carolinians seeking plans throughout the month. Those numbers were in stark contrast to the nearly 1 million shoppers expected to flood the North Carolina market, the Observer reported. However, website improvements have garnered an additional 7,308 customers in November, nearly four times as many enrollees as October, according to National Public Radio Charlotte affiliate WFAE.

A total of 9,000 residents have sought health insurance through the Healthcare.gov portal. According to the Observer, the state has the highest number of enrollees than any other Southern state. 

On the national scale, the Obama administration said they hope to enroll an additional 7 million citizens by March 31, 2014, which is when open enrollment ends, the Observer reported. 

"We think we're on track and we will reach the total," said Michael Hash, director of the office of health reform at the Department of Health and Human Services.