In the shutdown standoff over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, Democrats emphasize thousand-dollar premium increases for middle- or “working-class” Americans, while Republicans say people who are well-off unfairly benefit from the subsidies. Some higher-income earners could get subsidies, if they live in areas with costly insurance premiums, but about 95% of those getting subsidies in 2024 earned less than 400% of the poverty level. And while there are cases where out-of-pocket costs are set to increase by $1,000 or $2,000 a month if the expanded tax credits are allowed to expire as scheduled, the average increase is $1,016 for the year, a 114% rise, according to estimates from the health policy research organization KFF.