The premium tax credit (PTC) is a refundable tax credit in the United States. It is payable by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to that have obtained healthcare insurance by a healthcare exchange (marketplace) in the tax year. It can be paid in advance directly to a healthcare insurance company to offset the cost of monthly health insurance premiums. The tax credit is part of a host of Affordable Care Act tax provisions, introduced by the IRS in 2014, and is meant to extend health insurance coverage to 18 million lower and middle-income Americans.