An Austin program that helps working musicians pay their health insurance premiums is drawing attention as a possible model for other cities, as marketplace costs climb for freelancers, contractors, and gig workers nationwide. The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, known as HAAM, works with Central Health, Travis County's public hospital district, to subsidize Affordable Care Act plans for local musicians, KFF Health News reported in a story produced with KUT and NPR.
The approach targets a structural gap. People who work for themselves have no employer plan, so they buy coverage on their own through the marketplace. This year, after Congress let enhanced federal premium tax credits expire, marketplace premium payments rose sharply, and many enrollees dropped coverage.
