The SAG-AFTRA Health Plan trustees have agreed to a one-calendar-quarter extension of health coverage to qualified members who could lose coverage on Oct. 1, 2023.
The extension, according to the union, “accounts for work opportunities that may have been lost in May and June of this year due to the WGA strike.”
In order to qualify for the extension, participants must have the following:
- At least $22,000 in reported earnings from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
- Must be losing earnings-based or days-based coverage on Oct. 1, 2023
“This will come as a great relief to our members,” said SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. “I think it’s important that we never forget that we are in a contract negotiation with the AMPTP and under no circumstances should the health and well-being of members and their families ever be weaponized against them because of this strike.”
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator who also serves as a trustee said it will help to alleviate some members’ anxiety.
“It’s a shame the studios and streamers have put so many SAG-AFTRA members in a position where they have to worry about basic necessities — like whether they will remain covered by their health plan,” he said.
Members who don’t qualify will receive a COBRA offer, which can help members find affordable coverage that’s available either through their state or through a charitable foundation in the entertainment industry.
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