NO WORD YET ON WHAT STARTED THAT RIOT. HOUSE LAWMAKERS WILL TAKE UP THE FUNDING BILL APPROVED BY THE SENATE TOMORROW MORNING. IT PROMISES A LATER VOTE ON THE EXPIRING ACA HEALTH CARE SUBSIDIES. IT’S BEEN ONE OF THE KEY POINTS OF CONTENTION BETWEEN BOTH PARTIES. LISA GONZALES GETS THE FACTS. THERE’S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE EXPIRING ACA SUBSIDIES, SO WE WENT TO FACTCHECK.ORG TO LEARN HOW THIS WILL IMPACT YOU. SO DEMOCRATS FIRST PASSED THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SUBSIDIES IN 2021. IT WAS PART OF PANDEMIC RELIEF LEGISLATION. THE ENHANCED SUBSIDIES WERE SET TO LAST FOR TWO YEARS, BUT WERE EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR THROUGH OTHER LEGISLATION PASSED BY DEMOCRATS UNDER ACA, SUBSIDIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR OWN INSURANCE ON THE MARKETPLACE, AND IF THEY EARN 400% ABOVE THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, THAT’S $62,000 A YEAR, $84,000 A YEAR FOR A COUPLE AND 128,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. WHEN THE ACA SUBSIDIES EXPANDED IN 2021, IT INCREASED THE FINANCIAL HELP ENROLLEES COULD GET, AND IT ELIMINATED THE 400% INCOME CAP. IF THE SUBSIDIES EXPIRE, THERE WOULD BE NO TAX CREDIT ANYMORE. FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE MORE THAN 400% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. SO LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES. WE WENT TO HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF THIS. THEY LOOKED AT THE CHANGES. FAMILIES COULD SEE WITH THE EXPIRING ACA SUBSIDIES. WE ALSO HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THIS ON THE KCRA 3 APP. YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUR PHONE AS I SHOW YOU THESE. SO THE PREMIUMS ARE BASED OFF INCOME. RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE PAYING UP TO 8.5% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. IF THE SUBSIDIES EXPIRE, PEOPLE WOULD PAY MORE FOR THEIR PREMIUM FROM 2 TO 10% OF THEIR INCOME. SO FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAKES $35,000, YOU ARE PAYING 3% OF YOUR INCOME TOWARDS YOUR HEALTH PREMIUM. IF THE SUBSIDIES EXPIRE, YOU WOULD PAY 7.5% OF YOUR INCOME TOWARDS INSURANCE. THAT WOULD BE A $1,500 INCREASE. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHANGES FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. IF YOUR FAMILY TAKES A $90,000 A YEAR, YOU WOULD PAY 5.2% OF YOUR INCOME TOWARDS YOUR HEALTH PREMIUM. IF THE SUBSIDIES EXPIRE, IT WOULD JUMP TO 9.4% AND THAT WOULD BE A $3,700 INCREASE. PRICES COULD VARY DEPENDING ON AGE, INCOME, FAMILY SIZE, AND LOCATION. ENROLLMENT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH ACA HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2020. ABOUT 7% OF THE U.S. POPULATION AROUND 24 MILLION PEOPLE ENROLLED THIS YEAR IN THE VAST MAJORITY, RECEIVE SUBSIDIES. THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATED 4.2 MILLION PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE IN 2034. IF THE ENHANCEMENT EXPIRES, BUT THEY ALSO ESTIMATE A PERMANENT EXTENSION OF THE SUBSIDIES WOULD CO
See how much health insurance costs would go up if expanded ACA subsidies are allowed to expire
The expiration of expanded ACA subsidies could lead to higher health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
Updated: 8:03 PM PST Nov 11, 2025
Editorial Standards
The expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, initially passed by Democrats in 2021 as part of pandemic relief legislation, are set to expire at the end of this year, potentially increasing health insurance costs for many Americans.FactCheck.org has looked into competing claims of who benefits from the subsidies. Democrats first passed the expanded ACA subsidies in 2021 as part of pandemic relief legislation, with the enhanced subsidies initially set to last for two years. They were later extended through the end of this year via additional legislation passed by Democrats. Under the ACA, subsidies are available for people who buy their own insurance on the marketplace and if they earn up to 400% above the federal poverty level. Those eligible for coverage also can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have employer-sponsored health care. For an individual, this threshold is $62,000 annually, $84,000 for a couple, and $128,000 for a family of four, according to FactCheck.org. When the ACA subsidies expanded in 2021, it increased the financial help enrollees could get and eliminated the 400% income cap. If the subsidies expire, there would be no tax credit anymore for people who make more than 400% of the federal poverty level.Health policy research organization KFF looked at the changes families could see with the expiring ACA subsidies. According to FactCheck.org, premiums are based on income, and currently, people are paying up to 8.5% of their income for health insurance. If the subsidies expire, people would pay more for their premiums, from 2% to 10% of their income.For example, an individual who makes $35,000 is currently paying 3% of their income towards their health premium. If the subsidies expire, they would pay 7.5% of their income towards insurance, which would be a $1,500 increase. For a family of four earning $90,000 a year, they currently pay 5.2% of their income towards their health premium. If the subsidies expire, it would jump to 9.4%, resulting in a $3,700 increase. Prices could vary depending on age, income, family size, and location.Enrollment for health insurance through ACA has more than doubled since 2020, according to FactCheck.org.About 7% of the U.S. population, around 24 million people, enrolled this year, and the vast majority received subsidies. The Congressional Budget Office estimated 4.2 million people will not have health insurance in 2034 if the enhancement expires. They also estimate a permanent extension of these subsidies would cost nearly $350 billion over 10 years.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, initially passed by Democrats in 2021 as part of pandemic relief legislation, are set to expire at the end of this year, potentially increasing health insurance costs for many Americans.
FactCheck.org has looked into competing claims of who benefits from the subsidies.
Democrats first passed the expanded ACA subsidies in 2021 as part of pandemic relief legislation, with the enhanced subsidies initially set to last for two years.
They were later extended through the end of this year via additional legislation passed by Democrats.
Under the ACA, subsidies are available for people who buy their own insurance on the marketplace and if they earn up to 400% above the federal poverty level. Those eligible for coverage also can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have employer-sponsored health care.
For an individual, this threshold is $62,000 annually, $84,000 for a couple, and $128,000 for a family of four, according to FactCheck.org.
When the ACA subsidies expanded in 2021, it increased the financial help enrollees could get and eliminated the 400% income cap. If the subsidies expire, there would be no tax credit anymore for people who make more than 400% of the federal poverty level.
Health policy research organization KFF looked at the changes families could see with the expiring ACA subsidies.
According to FactCheck.org, premiums are based on income, and currently, people are paying up to 8.5% of their income for health insurance. If the subsidies expire, people would pay more for their premiums, from 2% to 10% of their income.
For example, an individual who makes $35,000 is currently paying 3% of their income towards their health premium. If the subsidies expire, they would pay 7.5% of their income towards insurance, which would be a $1,500 increase. For a family of four earning $90,000 a year, they currently pay 5.2% of their income towards their health premium. If the subsidies expire, it would jump to 9.4%, resulting in a $3,700 increase. Prices could vary depending on age, income, family size, and location.
Enrollment for health insurance through ACA has more than doubled since 2020, according to FactCheck.org.
About 7% of the U.S. population, around 24 million people, enrolled this year, and the vast majority received subsidies.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated 4.2 million people will not have health insurance in 2034 if the enhancement expires.
They also estimate a permanent extension of these subsidies would cost nearly $350 billion over 10 years.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
link