Health Insurance for Actors

Actors generally do not receive employer-sponsored health care, so if you are an actor without a second job that offers medical benefits, you must find health insurance on your own. Fortunately, there are several options you can pursue, based on where you are in your acting career and your overall general health.

Reasons for Insurance

• As an actor, your income relies on your body, including your voice, mobility, and in many cases, your vision and hearing. Keeping yourself in good health allows you to do your best at each audition, rehearsal and performance, while poor health can interfere with your performance, even to the extent of causing you to miss out on roles due to circumstances such as laryngitis at an audition.

Best Insurance Types

• Look for a health insurance plan that covers preventive care, including all regular health screenings appropriate for your age group. This will likely be a comprehensive plan, which usually has a deductible and co-payments for office visits. You may also consider managed health care plans, such as a Health Maintenance Organization or Preferred Provider Organization. These health care plans also may offer a variety of deductibles and copay levels. In some areas they are cheaper than individual plans through major health care companies, but you must visit doctors approved by the plan to get the published rates, and other restrictions may apply. Read the restrictions carefully, especially if you work on touring productions that may take you away from the provider network.

Association Resources

• The Actor's Equity Association, or AEA, for stage actors and the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, for film, video and television actors both provide access to health insurance plans for members with qualifying employment. Equity League provides a variety of health care options, including HMOs, Point of Service and Open Access Plans for employed AEA actors who qualify. SAG's Board of Trustees manages the guild's health coverage, which is based on reports sent in by producers who employ you. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or AFTRA, also offers health benefits to qualified members. Qualification and premium cost details are available through each individual association.

Finding Individual Insurance

• Affordable health insurance is available for actors even if you don't qualify for association-sponsored benefits. Plans and benefits vary widely by state, so check with the U.S. government health care website to find plans in your state (see Resources). If your acting gigs are few and far between, you may qualify for state-sponsored health care. Contact your state's department of social and health services to find out the eligibility requirements and waiting period for this type of health plan.