SHANELLE KAUL:
00:00:38
Napa, California, business owner David Dreiling says he was already paying more than he could afford for health insurance. Now he's bracing for another hike. It's getting worse.
SHANELLE KAUL:
00:00:48
22 million Americans receive tax credits to lower their monthly health insurance payment through the Affordable Care Act, but now those subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year. According to health research nonprofit KFF, on average, that could mean their monthly premiums more than double. The premium for a family of four making $130,000 will go from $921 a month to $1,988, according to the nonpartisan group Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. KFF believes that will force millions of Americans to downgrade their plans or forgo coverage. It comes as roughly 42 million Americans are losing SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, as government funding runs out due to the shutdown. Rebecca Hall, a single mother of five from New Jersey, is worried I will surely give up a meal for my kids to eat. If it came down to [? me ?] eating, they're going to eat. And those same low-income families could also soon lose access to Head Start programs, which provide educational support and child care to roughly 65,000 kids nationwide.
JERICKA DUNCAN:
00:02:02
Shanelle Kaul reporting from New York City. Thank you.
