Health
Austin nonprofit and public health agency subsidize marketplace insurance for local musicians
The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians partners with Travis County's safety-net health district to fund coverage, though rising costs and policy limits test the program.
The short version
- The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) partners with Central Health to subsidize Affordable Care Act marketplace premiums for local artists.
- The initiative has expanded to cover over 3,300 members, helping achieve an insured rate above 90% in a state with the nation's highest uninsured rate.
- In 2026, rising premium costs and the expiration of enhanced federal tax credits forced HAAM to turn away hundreds of qualified applicants.
- A coverage gap persists for residents earning below the poverty line because Texas has not expanded Medicaid.
Key facts
- HAAM operates an approximately $4 million program alongside Central Health, Travis County's public hospital district, to pay remaining premium balances for musicians purchasing marketplace coverage.[NPR]
- HAAM's membership has grown by 77% to more than 3,300 individuals, and over 90% of its members are now insured, up from an estimated 15% before marketplace assistance began.[NPR]
- Central Health covers the entire remaining premium after tax credits for enrollees earning between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty line, while HAAM funds 50% of premium balances for those with higher incomes.[NPR]
- As of 2024, Texas had the highest uninsured rate in the United States at 19% for individuals under age 65 and remains one of 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid.[NPR]
- In 2026, Sendero Health Plans raised rates by an average of 16% while expired federal pandemic subsidies contributed to a 60% jump in member premiums, prompting HAAM to turn away hundreds of eligible applicants due to funding caps.[NPR]
- Similar models have expanded to other sectors and regions, including a $100 monthly subsidy program in Denton, Texas, and a 2025 pilot for restaurant workers in Austin.[NPR]
What remains uncertain
- The long-term financial sustainability of local subsidy models remains uncertain without broader federal tax credit renewals or state-level Medicaid expansion.[NPR]