Health Insurance for Musicians

The subject of health insurance is one that I've been thinking about. I'm covered up until the baby is born in April, and then I'll have to get new insurance for the family. Praise the Lord, we're all healthy. But I don't want to breathe a word about my impending insurance change to the doctors, because I don't want them to treat me differently during the remainder of my pregnancy (and paying the COBRA cost of my current HMO is out of the question for us). Here's the story of a person who discovered just what that different treatment would entail. His name is Brian Austin Whitney, and he runs a music business called Just Plain Folks Productions in Indianapolis. His latest newsletter tells about a recent health crisis that was going to cost him $100,000 and what he's doing about it.

"...Like many of our artist and writer members out there without a second corporate day job, I have no health insurance. I've managed to survive the last 8 years without insurance. ...

I was told I needed the procedure immediately. In fact, the surgeon told me he wanted to schedule me that day. When I told him I had no insurance, he paused and his demeanor changed noticeably. He suggested I visit a particular hospital in town that treated people without insurance which has a reputation more for treating drug overdoses and gun shot wounds than delicate surgical procedures. I am the farthest thing from a snob, but I think if your life is hanging in the balance, even the most grassroots minded person on the planet would do whatever they could to get the best treatment they could manage. This wasn't just a broken bone or a bump or bruise. This was life and death.

...Lest anyone is asking themselves why I didn't just get a private plan a long time ago, the reality is that with pre-existing conditions (I am a diabetic among other things) no one would cover me. It wasn't an option. The only coverage I could get excluded ALL pre-existing conditions and anything that could be connected to it. As anyone with diabetes already knows, nearly anything short of a broken bone or cancer could be connected to that disease."

However, he did manage to delay the procedure four days, and then finance it via a unique solution:

"Last Wednesday I married my best friend Linda Berger who, in addition to being the long time JPF Projects Director, is also a
pharmacist with a great health plan. Sometimes out of the darkest moments in your life comes the greatest light."

As a result of this experience, Whitney is forming a new political action network to address the lack of health insurance for musicians and artists. He also included some great links in his newsletter, which I will personally be using:

"Future of Music Coalition -- a national nonprofit musicians' advocacy organization -- has just created HINT - the Health Insurance Navigation Tool. The goal of this project is to provide informed, musician-friendly support and advice to curious musicians who need information about health insurance, for free.

www.futureofmusic.org/hint/
www.futureofmusic.org/hint/overview.cfm
www.futureofmusic.org/hint/stoploss.cfm
www.futureofmusic.org/hint/hsa.cfm
www.futureofmusic.org/hint/bestpractices.cfm
www.futureofmusic.org/hint/appointment.cfm