Earlier this year, Austin-based musician Tucker Livingston fell ill but couldn’t afford health insurance. While he recovered, he couldn’t perform, so he eventually moved in with his parents, apart from his wife and child.
Livingston, 52, bought insurance through the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, at a price that was reasonable for him, with $5 to $10 copays last year. This year he had to downgrade his plan to afford insurance, but when his copays increased tenfold even that became too much.
He is one of thousands of Texans whose health insurance costs became unmanageable after Congress failed to extend federal subsidies this year. The subsidies, known as enhanced premium tax credits, had increased financial aid for Obamacare enrollees…