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Thursday, September 10, 2020
SAG-AFTRA Health Plan Offers Reduction in COBRA Premiums Amid Backlash
Variety: Facing a barrage of criticism over eligibility cuts, the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan has announced it will be offering an 80% reduction in COBRA premiums for many participants who will no longer qualify for coverage starting Oct. 1
The title of this article made me very happy as it is wild to think that people who can’t work due to a global pandemic wouldn’t be allowed to stay on their union’s health insurance when there the industry is shuttered because of a health emergency. This is probably the most important time that unions and union insurance policies exist – just thinking of all the freelancers out there who are nonunion makes me terrified. I am not sure what company SAG-AFTRA uses for their insurance but I know that a lot of insurance companies have been trying to reduce co-pays especially for mental health visits and other appointments so I don’t understand why it took so much effort for SAF-AFTRA’s insurance organization to adapt to the pandemic. It is impressive to see the power of a petition actually work to get things done when there are many petitions out there that are failing to get change. One question that this article makes me wonder as it seems even though SAG-AFTRA is resuming work that it will be a long road to recovery and that it will be a while till production returns to the same levels as before what do SAG-AFTRA members do who are leaving the industry at least temporarily? When do you leave the union/stop paying dues? Are people holding out or did they just try their best to pivot and not remove themselves from the union to cut their personal expenses?
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The title of this article made me very happy as it is wild to think that people who can’t work due to a global pandemic wouldn’t be allowed to stay on their union’s health insurance when there the industry is shuttered because of a health emergency. This is probably the most important time that unions and union insurance policies exist – just thinking of all the freelancers out there who are nonunion makes me terrified. I am not sure what company SAG-AFTRA uses for their insurance but I know that a lot of insurance companies have been trying to reduce co-pays especially for mental health visits and other appointments so I don’t understand why it took so much effort for SAF-AFTRA’s insurance organization to adapt to the pandemic. It is impressive to see the power of a petition actually work to get things done when there are many petitions out there that are failing to get change. One question that this article makes me wonder as it seems even though SAG-AFTRA is resuming work that it will be a long road to recovery and that it will be a while till production returns to the same levels as before what do SAG-AFTRA members do who are leaving the industry at least temporarily? When do you leave the union/stop paying dues? Are people holding out or did they just try their best to pivot and not remove themselves from the union to cut their personal expenses?
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