The government could shut down over a tax credit. Here’s who gets it.

Victoria Sylvester and her husband have discussed divorcing ‒ just on paper ‒ to protect their assets if her healthcare costs tip her into bankruptcy.
Their health insurance premium is expected to jump from $0 to $1,500 a month when the premium tax credits they’ve relied on end later this year.
More than 24 million Americans receive subsidies to reduce out-of-pocket costs for health insurance obtained through the Health Insurance Marketplace, created by the 2010 law known as Obamacare. Impending changes to subsidy amounts and limits to who can get them lie at the root of Congress’ fight over funding the government, a battle expected to come to a head Sept. 30 when current funding authority runs out. Without a bipartisan deal, the government will shut down.
For Sylvester, 55, of Traverse City, Michigan, having health insurance isn’t optional.
In 2022, Sylvester was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, and while it is in remission now, it has a high rate of recurrence. She needs frequent checkups and testing to catch it quickly if it comes back. And she still receives treatment for some side effects from chemotherapy.