Healthcare for Artists: Options Available, With Research

For many artists who pursue their livelihood through their art, health insurance can be difficult to find. Those without employer-provided health benefits must purchase insurance on the individual market, where premiums can be expensive and almost always include high deductibles. And many artists earn too little to afford such premiums, but too much to qualify for state health programs, according to Fractured Atlas, a national nonprofit organization that provides services and support to artists and arts organizations.

Artists across the country are twice as likely to be uninsured as the general population, which means that almost one in three artists does not have health insurance, according to Access to Health Insurance / Resources for Care, a service of The Actors' Fund of America's Health Insurance Resource Center.

But there are options available. AHIRC’s Web site lists organizations throughout the US where visual, literary and performance artists can research options for health insurance coverage. The availability of affordable, quality health insurance differs greatly from state-to-state, so the database is divided by state or district.

When looking for healthcare options, individuals and groups should first research the options. Checking out the AHIRC’s Web site is a great start. Local artists’ services, crafts guilds and other arts organizations in some areas offer group health insurance coverage for qualifying members, as do Chambers of Commerce in many cities across the country. These plans always require yearly dues paid to the membership organization and often come with a variety of added benefits such as legal services, promotional tools, and advocacy updates.

Fractured Atlas, which currently has almost 1,600 members nationwide, provides healthcare to 300 of its members. Fractured Atlas also acts as an advocate for members when health issues arise. As an artists’ service organization, it is dedicated and have successfully advocated for major reductions in healthcare costs and additional medical services for members.

Affordable health insurance is a must for artists who want to make their living from their art. The arts community must raise awareness about this issue by educating the public, policymakers and the media about the essential role of artists in Ohio, as well as the nature of independent work and the needs of these workers.

In the meantime, here are some research options for artists looking for healthcare:

According to Access to Health Insurance / Resources for Care
The Crafts Report Resource Guide
National Association for the Self-Employed
Info on healthcare tax deductions for self-employed
Fractured Atlas
Ohio Designer Craftsmen
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)