Democrats say extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits is urgent . Republicans say there's plenty of time to figure it out.

As the government shutdown goes on, there are a lot of mixed messages on Capitol Hill about the health care issue at the center of the fight.

The tax credits that make ACA health care premiums affordable for many Americans don't expire until December, as Republican lawmakers note. But Democratic lawmakers want to see them extended before enrollment begins Nov. 1, and they have made that a condition of voting to reopen the government.

It's not just a battle over political messaging. These are real health insurance marketplaces where real people — 24 million of them — buy coverage. The amount the federal government picks up for their monthly premiums makes a

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