An estimated 80,000 people in Washington would drop their health insurance if Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of December, according to the state insurance commissioner's office.

The expiring subsidies, which have helped about 216,000 Washingtonians afford health coverage, were temporarily expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without congressional action to extend them, many middle-income families face the reality of premium increases that could price them out of coverage entirely.

How the subsidies changed

When the Affordable Care Act launched in 2014, it included premium tax credits to help people pay for insurance. However, those credits were limited to individuals earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level — about $62,000 annually for a

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