Talia Mindich of Berkeley will see the cost of her Affordable Care Act health insurance plan rise by $72 monthly next year. Tessa Spargo of San Francisco will see an even bigger monthly premium hike of $143, but sees no way around it — she needs to see doctors regularly for a chronic health condition.

And without coverage, Spargo, a language teacher, said, “you’re really up the creek.”

Mindich and Spargo are among the 2 million Californians and 24 million across the U.S. whose Affordable Care Act coverage costs are set to rise dramatically starting in January, when enhanced tax credits expire. Those credits, which beefed-up government assistance for health care bills, were approved by Congress as the COVID-19 pandemic raged.

What, if anything, Congress will do about the rising costs is

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