(MENAFN) As the Affordable Care Act marketplace opens for enrollment on Saturday, Americans are preparing for significant increases in healthcare expenses. Roughly 24 million people obtain insurance through the marketplace, most of whom previously benefited from tax credits that lowered monthly premiums.

Without these subsidies, average monthly costs could jump by 114%, potentially adding more than $1,000 per year for many consumers, as stated by health research groups. Lawmakers remain divided over whether to extend the subsidies, which expire at the end of the year, in exchange for ending the ongoing federal government shutdown. Democrats are pushing for an extension, while Republican leaders argue the issue should be addressed separately once the government reopens, though some conservatives have expressed concern about the credits ending.

For those relying on tax credits, the new costs could be a financial shock. Stacy Cox and her husband, small business owners in Utah, currently pay $495 a month for health insurance. Ms Cox explained, “It's horrific to actually see real numbers,” noting that without subsidies, their premiums are projected to rise to $2,168, a 338% increase. She added that if the credits are not renewed, they plan to cancel their current coverage and purchase emergency insurance, which would not cover routine or preventive care. The couple faces particular concern due to Ms Cox’s autoimmune condition and her husband’s hereditary cardiovascular disease: “It's horribly stressful, because what I know is that the emergency plan is not going to cover what I need,” she said.

Experts predict that roughly seven million marketplace users could drop their insurance if subsidies end, with four to five million potentially losing coverage entirely due to lack of alternatives, according to reports.

The standoff continues as lawmakers enter the second month of the government shutdown.

Democrats are also seeking to restore cuts made to Medicaid under President Donald Trump, a program providing healthcare for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Some Republicans have criticized the subsidies as part of the Affordable Care Act, which they oppose, but a few conservatives, including Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, have voiced support for maintaining the credits, with Greene calling the termination of subsidies “absolutely disgust[ing].”

Meanwhile, more than 40 million Americans risked losing food assistance due to the shutdown. Judges ruled Friday that emergency funds must cover Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. President Trump responded via Truth Social, stating, “our government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do. I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”

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