Medical Insurance for Artists

*For legal purposes artists are considered self-employed and fall under those guidelines, which allows them to access various resources others can not.

ABG Business Associates Ltd.
154 Commack Rd.
Commack, NY 11725
(631) 499-6100
- Group plans are available to self-employed individuals and small businesses in New York State.

Alliance for Affordable Services
Box 815099,
Dallas, TX 75381,
1-888-748-7092
- Membership costs $479.40 per year and includes health care options for an additional fee. Residents from most states are eligible for coverage, however, there are limitations to the extent of coverage offered. For a quote, call Midwest National Life Insurance at (800) 733-2242.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
601 E. St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20049
(800) 523-5800
member@aarp.org
- The retired individuals persuing their art may want to take this route. Products offered include Medicare Supplement, Medicare Select, Hospital Indemnity and Long-term Care insurance plans.

Artists’ Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC)
c/o the Actors’ Fund
729 Seventh Ave.,
10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(800) 798-8447
jbrown@actorsfund.org
- The AHIRC is a project of the Actors’ Fund of America, which was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts to create a nationwide health insurance resource center for the arts community. It provides information to help artists obtain the most economical health insurance.

Artists Talk on Art
10 Waterside Plaza,
Ste. 33D
New York, NY 10010
(212) 779-9250
mail@artiststalkonart.org
- Passholders get free admission to ATOA panels, discounts to special events and (for members living and working in New York State) access to a group health insurance plan. (Membership fees are: $40 for individuals, $55 for families and $30 for students/senior citizens). For questions about health insurance, call the group health insurance administrator, RBA Insurance Strategies, at 212-594-1500.

Chicago Artists’ Coalition (CAC)
11 E. Hubbard,
7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 670-2060
- CAC is a nonprofit, multicultural service organization founded in 1974 to serve both fine and commercial members in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Membership costs $45 for one year, and $85 for two years. For information call the CAC office.

College Art Association Group Insurance Plan
275 7th Ave.
New York, NY 10010
(212) 691-1051
- The association offers group discounts on all types of insurance. Membership fees are based on income level.

Craft Alliance of New York State
501 W. Fayette St.
Syracuse, NY 13204
(315) 472-4245
- The alliance provides access to group rates on health and dental insurance for its members.

eHealthInsurance
- This is an online service that allows small businesses to comparison shop for small group health insurance plans by state. Email through the Web site or call the eHealthInsurance call center at (800) 977-8860 Monday through Friday for more information about plans available.

Health Plan One
250 Pequot Avenue
Southport, CT 06890
1-877-567-5267
- Health Plan One offers a braod selection of affordable health insurance plans for families, individuals, and small businesses. See online quotes, compare plans and apply online.

Insurance Information Institute
110 William Street
New York, NY 10038
(800) 331-9146
- The Insurance Information Institute provides facts and assistance free of charge to the media, individuals and organizations. If you're working at home -- STOP-- and review your insurance coverage. Your homeowners insurance probably doesn't cover your business. A typical homeowners policy provides only $2,500 coverage for business equipment, which is usually not enough to cover all of the business property. You also need coverage for liability and business interruption. To insure your business, you have three choices -- endorsements to the homeowners policy, an in-home business policy or a small business owners package policy.

Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington
1436 U St. N.W.
Ste. 103
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 638-2406, ext. 28
- Provides health insurance to members in the Washington, D.C., area. Membership is $75 annually and is open to anyone. HMOs, PPOs and point-of-service plans are offered through Kaiser and George Washington University. Rates vary based on the plan.

Home-based Business Owners’ Association (HBOA)
2400 E. Commercial Blvd.
Ste. 221
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(800) 362-6365
- HBOA is an online resource community that helps small and home-based businesses save money through its use of online membership services. Services include discounts on health-care services such as dental, vision care, prescriptions and chiropractic care.

National Association of Female Executives
Box 469031
Escondido, CA 92046-9925
1-800-634-NAFE
- Offers a variety of health care options to members nationwide.

National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
Box 612067
DFW Airport
Dallas, TX 75261-2067
(800) 232-NASE
- NASE offers health care to members nationwide.

Society of American Silversmiths
Box 704
Chepachet, RI 02814
(401) 567-7800
- SAS offers insurance options — including life, disability, health, dental, retiree and more — through a partnership with MemberNetUSA Insurance Programs for members nationwide. SAS artisans are juried into the society based on their outstanding technical skill.

Small Business Service Bureau
554 Main St.
Wooster, MA 01608
(888) 222-5678
- The Small Business Service Bureau, Inc., founded in 1968, is a national small-business organization with over 50,000 members. SBSB members are self-employed, in partnerships, family businesses, home-based businesses and owners involved in every kind of business or trade. Group health insurance is offered to members in many areas nationwide.

Texas Fine Arts Association
700 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 453-5312
- In addition to providing exhibition opportunities and working to build a more receptive audience for contemporary artists’ works, TFAA provides a number of services to artist members (fee: $25), including access to affordable health, dental and vision insurance nationwide.

Women’s Caucus for Art
Box 1498 Canal Street Station
New York, NY 10013
(212) 634-0007
- Some affiliated state chapters offer health insurance. Membership is open to everyone.

WRITERS

The ASJA American Society of Journalists and Authors
- Ther offer health insurance aimed at freelance artists.

The Authors Guild
- They offer health insurance - requirements are reasonable and fees are about $90 a year.

The Entertainment Industry Group Insurance Trust

The National Writers Association

National Writers Union

The Writers Guild

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Artists’ Health Insurance Resource Center
- A Web site with valuable information. Resources are listed by state, including unions, guilds, associations and government agencies. Artists can also call the toll-free hotline at (800) 798-8447.

Chicago Artists Coalition
11 E. Hubbard St., 7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 670-2060