Besides the info below also check out THE ACTORS FUND for information on joining an organization which offers group policies to self-employed workers.
There have been some major changes in Local 802 Union Health Care Plan. The Plan now includes HMO for very reasonable monthly payments on top of the normal coverage. This means that hospitalization is now available for well under what it would cost on the open market. The NAC has been working toward making the Union Health Plan available to indie and downtown musicians. We have made great strides recently toward our goal and these new changes allow for more choices and better coverage with the Union Plan. More details as information comes in. Below is an explanation of how the plan works for independent musicians.
The Local 802 Union Health Plan
1. First of all you must be a member of Local 802 Associated Musicians Of Greater New York. The address is 322 West 48th St. NYC, 10036. The phone # is 212/245-4802. The initiation fee is $150.00 (check on this) and once or twice a year they offer initiation for half price. Dues for one year are $170.00. Speak with Dave Sheldon or John O'Conner and tell them you were referred by the NAC.
2. Note that the Union health plan only covers doctors (major medical). If you want full coverage you must also get Hospitalization elsewhere: Empire Blue Cross Blue Sheild is c/a $350.00 a quarter (3 months) for a single person. (new)Local 802 recently added HMO to there plan for a reasonable fee. More details later.
How Much Does it Cost?
There are two plans; plan A and plan B.
You must pay in, from music work, during one of two six month periods (Jan. through June or June through Dec.) a minimum of Approximately $900.00 for Plan A or $450.00 for plan B, in order to get on the health plan. The yearly cost for Plan A is $1800.00, Plan B is $900.00 per year. (this may change subject to increases)
Plan A covers $50,000 per illness per year
Plan B covers $5,000 per illness per year.
If you use Magna Care doctors there is no deductable. If you do not use Magna Care there is a $200.00 yearly deductable.
How To Pay
(note this is for live performance not recording)
A. When you do a gig you are allowed to pay up to 20% of what you get paid into your health plan. Example: If you are paid $50.00 you can pay in up to $10. If you do a tour and make $2000.00 you can pay in up to $400.00 in one check!. This is true even if the gig is cash pay with no contract or taxes taken out. (note: there is no mechanism to check out how much you actually did make but be cool, consistant or obvious fraud will trigger an investigation.)
B. To pay, fill out a one page "health plan music service contract" available from the union) get a check for how ever much you are paying in (the check must be signed by a third party, see below) written out to Local 802 Health Benefits Plan, and send it to Local 802 care of Dave Sheldon or John O'conner. Enclose a note saying you were referred by the NAC (this is important). Note: you must also pay a 2% (check on this) work dues based on the total amount you are claiming to have made on the gig or tour. Example: $40.00 work dues on a $2000 tour with a $400.00 health payment.
C. You can not pay in on your own behalf. A bandleader, booking agent, club owner, promoter, or someone claiming to be one of the above can sign. If you can't get a third party to sign your checks you can set up a corporation and pay in on your own behalf through the corporation. For more information on how to set up your own corporation for very little money call Dave Sheldon or John O'Conner at local 802 212/245-4802.
D. Technically, when doing a gig, either the whole band pays in to health care or no one does. This is due to legal considerations. The union has no way to monitor this but if you want to pay in on a gig or tour and your bandmates do not, we advise you to pretend it was a solo tour, or claim you were a featured artist or better yet try to get them to pay in.
E. Coverage begins three months after the end of the six month period in which you paid in. Example: If you paid in for the first time in the period from Jan. to June your coverage would begin in October.
F. This coverage is not good for women or couples thinking of having a child because it does not cover hospitalization. It does however cover the whole family if one member of the family is on the plan.
G. If for some reason you can not get on the plan in a six month period you get a 90% return which can be applied to any other health plan. Example: If in a six month period you only have enough gigs to pay in $380.00 instead of the $400.00 that it takes to get on plan B you will receive $342.00 which can be applied to another health plan.
If you have any questions please call the NAC hotline at 212/592-3677 or fill out our Feedback Form on the Who We Are? page.