DGA Pension and Health Board Approves Free Medical Plan for Members Affected by Strike

Ross A. Lincoln
·2 min read

The Directors Guild of America’s pension and health board has unanimously approved a free major medical plan for “qualifying” members who have lost their health coverage because of strike-related work stoppage.

The plan, which will cover qualified participants and their families, will initially be made available for a three month period, beginning Oct. 3 and ending Dec. 31. To be eligible, members must have either worked under the Basic Agreement, or under the Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement and either:

Have “lost Earned Active or regular Carry-Over coverage as of June 30, 2023 and did not have sufficient earnings to requalify effective October 1, 2023 for the applicable work period July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and have at least $10,000 in initial compensation during the work period July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and the DGA-Producer Health Plan is your primary plan”;

Or “will lose Earned Active or regular Carry-Over coverage as of September 30, 2023 and did not have sufficient earnings to requalify effective October 1, 2023 for the applicable work period July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and have at least $10,000 in initial compensation during the work period July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and the DGA-Producer Health Plan is your primary plan.”

The plan will cover in-network coverage including benefits for mental health and substance abuse, prescription drugs, and some emergency services (there will be specific guidance for emergency services using non-network providers).

However, excluded from the plan are dental and vision benefits, coverage for hearing aids, chiropractic, acupuncture and foot orthotics, and “special arrangements with UCLA Health/EIMG.”

“I am proud to announce that the DGA-PPHP Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the creation of a critically important free major medical plan for Health Plan participants and their eligible dependents who have been financially impacted by the work stoppage. This innovative effort by the Plans’ trustees will help Plan participants facing financial hardship retain basic health coverage during this difficult time,” DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement.

For all of TheWrap’s WGA strike coverage, click here.

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