SAG and AFTRA Health Plans to Merge

New SAG-AFTRA Health Plan to Take Effect Jan. 1, 2017

Los Angeles (June 8, 2016) — The trustees of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) – Producers Health Plan and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) Health Fund have approved the merger of the two plans. The new SAG-AFTRA Health Plan will provide comprehensive medical, hospital, mental health, prescription drug, dental, vision and other benefits to eligible members worldwide. The merger of the plans will allow SAG-AFTRA members to combine covered earnings from all SAG-AFTRA contracts toward eligibility for coverage in a single health plan. The new plan will be similar to the SAG Plan with two tiers (Plan I and Plan II), both of which will provide family coverage at all qualifying levels.

“The successful merger of these plans would not have been possible if we hadn’t united SAG and AFTRA first. Our members deserve one outstanding health plan and this historic agreement ensures that all earnings under our contracts now credit to a single health plan,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “One of the biggest challenges many members faced was the inability to combine earnings from both SAG and AFTRA contracts to achieve eligibility. With one health plan we have eliminated that issue, making split earnings for performers a thing of the past. At the same time, we have positioned our health plan to be financially sustainable for all members for years to come.”

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White said, “The new health plan is both comprehensive and forward-looking. Merging these plans was a complex undertaking and I am proud that the trustees worked together to arrive at solutions that strengthen the overall financial health of the plan while ensuring comprehensive benefits for all participants.”

Highlights of the new SAG-AFTRA Health Plan include:

• Two coverage tiers: Plan I and Plan II
  • Earnings requirement for Plan I coverage at $33,000
  • Earnings requirement for Plan II coverage at $17,000
  • Alternative qualifying methods, including Age and Service and Days Worked
  • Expedited station staff eligibility (subject to the new earnings thresholds)
  • Continuation of existing rules for covered roster artists and newly signed royalty artists (under Plan II of the new plan)
• Family coverage under both Plan I and Plan II
• Mental health and substance abuse coverage will now be offered in both Plan I and II
• Medical and hospital provider network will be Anthem Blue Cross
• Comprehensive dental coverage offered through Delta Dental
• Prescription drug benefits administered by Express Scripts
• Vision benefits in Plan I through Vision Service Plan
• Premiums will mirror those of the current SAG Health Plan

The new health plan takes effect January 1, 2017 and will cover more than 65,000 participants and their dependents. More details about the new SAG-AFTRA Health Plan are available at sagaftrahealth.org. The site provides the most up-to-date information available about the new plan’s benefits, eligibility, premiums and frequently asked questions. SAG-AFTRA members are encouraged to use this site as their primary source of information about the upcoming plan. Current health plan participants should continue to contact their SAG or AFTRA health plan participant services teams for questions about their current coverage through the end of 2016.

Informational sessions with representatives from the health plan are planned for SAG-AFTRA members on the following dates.

Monday, June 20, 2016, 5-7 p.m. PT
Los Angeles

Thursday, June 23, 2016, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
New York

Wednesday, July 6, 2016, 4-6 p.m. PT
Webinar for Locals Outside of Los Angeles and New York

Monday, July 11, 2016, 7-9 p.m. PT
Los Angeles

Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 7-9 p.m. ET
New York

Details and RSVP information will be available on SAGAFTRA.org.

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