Actors' Equity Health Fund
Health coverage for Actors' Equity Association members working in live theatre
Overview
The Actors' Equity Health Fund provides medical, dental, and vision benefits to qualifying members of Actors' Equity Association who work in live theatre. Coverage is earned through weeks of employment under Equity contracts throughout the year.
The fund operates on a credit system where each week of covered employment earns health coverage credits. Once you accumulate enough credits in a benefit year, you become eligible for the plan's comprehensive benefits package.
How It Works
Coverage includes hospitalization, outpatient care, mental health services, prescription drugs, and preventive care. The plan is designed to accommodate the unique employment patterns of stage actors who may work multiple contracts throughout the year.
Like the SAG-AFTRA plan, coverage is funded through employer contributions rather than direct member premiums. The number of work weeks required for eligibility is set by the fund's trustees and may change over time.
Who Uses It
For theatre actors, qualifying for the Equity Health Fund is a key reason to pursue union contracts whenever possible. Track your work weeks carefully and consult the fund's office if you are unsure about your eligibility status. The fund also offers a telemedicine option for members who are touring or working in markets far from their home physicians, ensuring continuity of care regardless of where a contract takes you. Understanding the credit accumulation system and benefit year timing is essential for theatre actors planning their season-to-season employment strategy.
Pricing & Plans
The Actors' Equity Health Fund operates on a credit-based system where employer contributions fund your coverage without requiring direct premium payments from members who qualify. Eligibility typically requires accumulating a minimum number of work weeks, historically around 12 to 19 weeks of covered Equity employment within a benefit year, depending on the specific plan tier. The fund offers multiple coverage levels, with more comprehensive benefits available to members who work a higher number of qualifying weeks. If you lose eligibility between benefit years, self-pay continuation options are available but can cost $500 to $1,000 or more per month depending on the coverage level. Compared to purchasing individual insurance on the ACA marketplace, the Equity Health Fund typically provides superior theatrical-specific benefits, including coverage for vocal health, physical therapy, and performance-related injuries. The fund's employer-contribution model means that every week of Equity work is effectively building toward your health coverage, making each contract decision a strategic health insurance calculation as well as a career one.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The credit-based eligibility system aligns naturally with the way theatre actors work, accumulating coverage through multiple contracts rather than requiring a single large earnings threshold like some other industry plans. The fund's benefits package is tailored to the specific health needs of stage performers, including coverage for vocal cord issues, repetitive motion injuries, and the physical demands unique to live theatre. Zero-premium coverage for qualifying members is a significant financial benefit, particularly for theatre actors whose annual income may be more modest than their screen counterparts. The fund's familiarity with touring and regional theatre employment patterns means administrative processes accommodate actors who work in different cities throughout the year. Mental health coverage is included and specifically designed to address the psychological challenges of the performing arts, including performance anxiety, rejection, and the instability of theatrical careers. The fund's long operational history means it has well-established provider networks in major theatre markets including New York, Chicago, and regional theatre hubs.
What Could Be Better
The work-week requirement can be difficult to meet for actors who primarily work on shorter contracts, staged readings, or workshops that may not generate qualifying weeks. Theatre seasons are inherently seasonal, and actors who work primarily in summer stock or holiday productions may struggle to accumulate enough weeks within a single benefit year. The coverage gap between losing eligibility and requalifying can leave members uninsured for months, and the self-pay continuation rates are often prohibitively expensive for actors between contracts. Regional theatre contracts, while qualifying, sometimes pay lower weekly rates and offer fewer weeks than Broadway or national tour contracts, making the path to eligibility longer and less certain. The fund's provider network, while strong in New York, may be more limited in smaller markets and rural areas where regional theatres are located. Administrative processes for tracking work weeks and confirming eligibility can be confusing, particularly for newer Equity members who are not yet familiar with the system's timing and requirements.
Our Recommendation
We recommend that every Actors' Equity member make qualifying for the Health Fund a priority in their season planning, as it represents one of the most valuable tangible benefits of union membership in live theatre. It is particularly important for actors who do not have health coverage through a day job, spouse, or other source, as theatre-specific benefits are difficult to replicate through general marketplace plans. If you consistently fall short of the work-week requirement, consider whether accepting additional contracts, even at lower pay, might be worthwhile when factoring in the health coverage benefit. Actors who split their work between Equity contracts and non-union theatre should understand that only Equity weeks count toward eligibility, which may influence how they allocate their time. For members who cannot reach the threshold in a given year, the ACA marketplace remains a reliable backup, and you should explore subsidy eligibility based on your income level. We encourage all Equity members to contact the fund's eligibility office at the start of each benefit year to understand exactly how many weeks they need and plan their audition strategy accordingly.
Pro Tips
Keep a personal log of every Equity work week alongside the fund's official records, as discrepancies can occasionally occur and are easier to resolve with your own documentation. At the start of each benefit year, calculate exactly how many qualifying weeks you need and set that as a concrete target for your audition and contract decisions. When evaluating potential contracts, factor in the health coverage value of each additional qualifying week, which can be worth hundreds of dollars in equivalent insurance premiums. If you are touring or working regionally, register with the fund's telemedicine services before you leave your home market so you have continuity of care while on the road. Connect with other Equity members in your network to share information about which contracts offer the best combination of pay and qualifying weeks, as this collective knowledge is invaluable for career planning. If you are approaching the end of a benefit year and are a few weeks short, reach out to casting directors and producers for Equity workshop or showcase opportunities that might generate the additional qualifying weeks you need.