MADISON, Wis. — As the federal government shutdown drags into a fourth week, one phrase keeps surfacing in negotiations: “ extending healthcare subsidies. ” But what does that actually mean for you — and your wallet?

“It looks very likely that a lot of people will drop coverage if they don't get these enhanced subsidies, because the stakes, they're oh so large,” said Dan Sacks, associate professor of risk and insurance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Democrats say they won’t agree to a deal to fund the government unless tax credits tied to the Affordable Care Act — commonly known as Obamacare — are extended. Those credits are set to expire at the end of the year.

Thanks to these subsidies, roughly 24 million Americans are currently enrolled in ACA plans.

“A few years ago du

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