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Actor’s Union Extends Health Insurance For Some Members
An actors strike would create a massive "double strike" that would bring nearly all U.S. film and television productions to a halt. SAG-AFTRA announced late Friday that negotiations on a contract that expired at midnight Friday will now continue until July 12.
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Robyn Beck
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
SAG-AFTRA announced an extension of health coverage until the end of the year for some members who would otherwise lose their eligibility after productions shutdown due to the ongoing strike.
Who qualifies? SAG-AFTRA members must have earned $22,000 in covered work from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. They faced losing eligibility Oct. 1.
How do actors normally qualify? Residual payments count toward the $26,000 per year that striking SAG-AFTRA members must earn to qualify for health insurance offered by the union — another reason increasing residual payments, especially from streamers like Netflix, are a high priority for striking members who are on the margins.
Is the coverage good? Plan premiums from SAG-AFTRA are $125 per month for union members, who also enjoy low deductibles. But it’s hard to first gain and then sustain.
Go deeper: Actors And Writers On Strike Weigh A Hidden Risk: Losing 'Cadillac' Health Coverage
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