United Hospital Fund has released a new healthcare guide for theatre workers, titled Risky Business: A Guide for Dramatists (and Other Theater Workers) on Finding Affordable Health Coverage and Care. The free, comprehensive guide aims to help theatre industry members more easily find affordable health insurance and care.
The guide is intended to help dramatists and other performing arts professionals who are not under employer or union health plans navigate the world of health insurance. It includes information on how to identify and select health insurance plans, along with resources they may not be aware of, like free counseling from the Entertainment Community Fund, emergency grants from the Dramatists Guild Foundation, and more.
“Dramatists have a tough row to hoe when it comes to finding affordable healthcare,” Peter Newell, director of United Hospital Fund’s Health Insurance Project, and lead author of the guidebook, said in a statement. “But there have never been more affordable options available, and there are plenty of unbiased, free counselors out there that understand dramatists’ unique situations and want to help people find coverage.”
"If you think it's hard for playwrights to get their work in front of audiences, it can be even harder for playwrights to get themselves to a doctor for proper healthcare," added Tony winner David Henry Hwang. "It's very challenging for a dramatist to pursue their craft while also maintaining a full-time job with health benefits. This new guide from United Hospital Fund is an invaluable—not to mention free—resource for theatremakers who may discover that affordable healthcare is not as inaccessible as they think. Particularly in an industry where we are encouraged to 'break a leg,' a pathway to proper healthcare is simply a necessity."
The guide is organized into three “Acts.” Act I features an FAQ-style script for finding coverage in New York State; Act II details ways to find care if you don’t have insurance, or how to get the most out of the coverage you have; and Act III lists resources for coverage for those living in states besides New York.
The guide was researched and written by Newell and Amy Lin, special assistant for policy and program at United Hospital Fund. The Entertainment Community Fund and the Dramatists Guild of America also provided assistance, and the Venturous Theater Fund provided grant support.
United Hospital Fund is an independent, nonprofit organization working to build an effective and equitable healthcare system for every New Yorker. The organization works to dismantle barriers in health policy and healthcare delivery that prevent equitable opportunities for health.
Click here to download the guidebook for free.
