WASHINGTON — Whether the federal government shuts down operations in two weeks could hinge on Republicans agreeing to extend an Obamacare tax credit that helps about 300,000 working people in Louisiana buy health insurance.

If the Affordable Care Act’s “premium tax credit” expires Dec. 31, as it will without congressional action, health insurance policies will become so expensive that about 22 million Americans likely will drop their coverage, according to KFF, a nonpartisan organization focused on health policy research, in an analysis released Wednesday .

Premium prices vary depending on income levels, policies sought and myriad complex stipulations. As private insurance starts sending out bills in October for next year, policyholders on average are going to have to come out of

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