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More Americans are facing stretches of unemployment of six months or more, a worrisome sign for the U.S. economy. More than 1 in 4 workers without jobs have been unemployed for at least half a year, new data shows. That number is a post-pandemic high and a level typically only seen during periods of economic turmoil. (Bhattarai, 9/15)

For the more than 53 million retired workers currently receiving a Social Security benefit each month, this payout isn't a luxury. According to 24 years of polling from Gallup, between 80% and 90% of retirees lean on their Social Security income, to some varied degree, to cover their expenses. For nine decades, Social Security has laid a financial foundation for aging workers who could no longer provide for themselves. It's also expanded its coverage to include workers with disabilities and survivors of deceased workers. (Williams, 9/13)

Rep. Jen Kiggans, 54, of Virginia — a former Navy helicopter pilot, nurse practitioner and mother of four — is seen in the Republican Conference as something of a model member, hailing from one of the toughest swing districts in the country. She is viewed by her peers as personable and a team player. Now, Kiggans has stepped into a political minefield in her quest to secure an extension of enhanced health care tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year. (Guggenheim and Hill, 9/15)

There’s bipartisan support in Congress for extending tax credits that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19 pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it. Democrats are threatening to vote to shut down the government at the end of the month if Republicans don’t extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. (Jalonick and Seitz, 9/13)

Leighanne Safford and her husband, Lorry, pay just $278 a month for health insurance. But starting Jan. 1, their monthly premium could jump to as much as $1,800. Safford’s family is among the millions who could be forced to pay hundreds of dollars more for their health insurance premiums next year as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire at the end of December. The enhanced subsidies were put into place under the 2021 American Rescue Plan, which made ACA plans affordable for many middle-class families. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended the subsidies through 2025. (Lovelace Jr., 9/13)