Artists Health Insurance Resource Center

Program Description

Our Artists Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC) has been connecting artists, craftspeople and entertainment industry workers around the country to health insurance and affordable health care since 1998.

Getting health insurance or finding quality medical care is a constant concern for anyone who is uninsured or who isn’t covered by an employer, union or government health plan. AHIRC identifies alternative routes to coverage and local resources for care for small businesses, performers, visual artists, stagehands, filmmakers, musicians, artisans, and other self-employed and episodic workers.

With offices in New York and Los Angeles and a staff that is experienced  in health insurance and health care counseling, AHIRC takes a multi-faceted approach to the problem of health care access.  Its services include:

• Consultations in person, by phone and through e-mail.

• The AHIRC website (www.ahirc.org), which contains more than 4,000 links to national, state and local information and assistance.

• Regular seminars on topics such as: Getting Affordable Health Care, Welcome to Medicare, and Health Care Reform for Small Businesses and Sole Proprietors.

• Community outreach through participation in health fairs, arts conferences and other local events.

• Small business outreach through the Small Business Assistance Program

• Advocating for legislative changes that will make health insurance more affordable – for example, the successful fight for a COBRA subsidy in New York State for entertainment industry workers.  
  To apply for the subsidy, please visit the NY State Insurance Department website.

Small Business Assistance Program

The Artists' Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC), in partnership with Community Service Society of New York, provides free Small Business Assistance Program workshops and consultations to sole proprietors and small businesses in the performing arts and entertainment. The program is designed to educate businesses about the Affordable Care Act, the mandate to have - or in the case of some employers - provide coverage, the availability of small business health care tax credits, and the options available on the New York Health Benefits Exchanges. AHIRC is one of 34 organizations funded by the Community Service Society to provide this service. For a list of upcoming workshops, visit our calendar. For an individual consultation, contact Renata Marinaro at rmarinaro@actorsfund.org. 

AHIRC.org

AHIRC.org was created by The Actors Fund in 1998 with a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts. It is a carefully researched, constantly updated database of annotated links to health care and insurance resources. It is intended to quickly connect you to the information and services you need.  Our website is completely unbiased. We do not accept advertising or commercial endorsements. The only thing we promote is the healthy artist with full access to health care. 

Health Care Reform/ Affordable Care Act

Since its inception, The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center has had a single mission: to help all artists in this country get quality, affordable insurance for themselves and their families. The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act or health care reform, has brought us within reach of that goal. Because so many of its provisions are directed at the individual and small group market, where the majority of visual and performing artists who are ineligible for union insurance find themselves, it is critical that you understand how you can benefit from them. Our team of health insurance experts will help you understand what your options are. To request an indivisual consultation, please contact us at the regional office closest to you. To attend a workshop, visit ahirc.org.

Publications

The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center has produced a concise and readable guide to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, otherwise known as the health care reform law. This guide clearly explains the most significant programs and reforms, with special emphasis on those that directly impact artists and entertainers. Itis written in a practical Q & A format and includes a timeline and links to pertinent websites.
Every Artist Insured: Understanding Health Care Reform

AHIRC has also written brief guides on getting affordable health care and health insurance in New York and Los Angeles. These guides outline public and private health insurance options in a practical Q & A format. Included are links to relevant information and contact information for selected clinics and pharmacies.
How to Get Affordable Health Care in New York City (NY)
How to Get Affordable Health Care in Los Angeles (CA)

A recent issue of our biannual publication, Marquee, focused on The Actors Fund's crucial work in health services, which includes providing access to free health care for entertainment professionals on both coasts, as well as our national counseling and outreach efforts. These services provide a helping hand to more than 3,000 people every year.
Health Care Services: Healthy Artists Means Healthy Arts

This brochure explains The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic in New York, which provides free health care to uninsured and underinsured documented entertainment industry professionals between the ages of 18 to 64.

Contact

For more information, go to www.ahirc.org or call The Actors Fund at:

Eastern Region: 917.281.5975
Western Region: 323.933.9244 ext. 432

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.