Washington, D.C.— Musician education, research and advocacy non-profit organization Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has launched an online survey meant to provide much-needed data on musicians’ access to health insurance.
The “Taking the Pulse” survey, which will be open from March 2 through April 1, 2010, assesses the level of health insurance among working musicians, asking key questions about artists’ access to coverage and their understanding of the current health insurance landscape.
Taking the Pulse: a survey about musicians and health insurance
http://bit.ly/amOAbi
“With health care now a national issue, it’s important that we understand how many
musicians are currently insured,” says FMC Education Director Kristin Thomson. “What are the factors that make it difficult for musicians to get insured? Do musicians know about plans offered by some unions? The data will help us understand what can we do to ensure that this vital segment of the public isn’t falling through the cracks.”
In 2002, FMC conducted an online survey to gauge the level of health insurance among working musicians. Of the nearly 2,700 respondents, 44 percent of them did not have health insurance. As a response, FMC launched its Health Insurance Navigation Tool project (HINT), which has been providing musicians with personalized, artist-friendly advice about their health insurance options since 2005.
Get the HINT
http://futureofmusic.org/issues/campaigns/get-hint
FMC’s 2002 study has been cited in a number of related reports and press articles. With a damaged national economy and meaningful health care reform still elusive nearly a decade later, the issue of health care coverage for artists is ever more urgent. Musicians, who contribute greatly to our nation’s cultural and economic well-being, too often go without coverage in order to pursue their craft. This new survey seeks to look once more at those factors that prevent musicians from obtaining coverage.
During the month of March, FMC will engage directly with musicians and reach artists through partnerships with music service organizations to encourage thousands of musicians to take the short survey.
“Taking the Pulse” coincides with Cover the Uninsured Week, an awareness raising campaign developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which runs from March 14-20.
http://covertheuninsured.org/
Future of Music Coalition is a national non-profit education, research and advocacy organization that seeks a bright future for creators and listeners. FMC works towards this goal through continuous interaction with its primary constituency — musicians — and in collaboration with other creator/public interest groups. More