[OregonArts] Americans for the Arts statement on health care reforms

[D'Arcy, Christine T]

Arts Action Alert - Take Action Now!<http://ww3.artsusa.org/images/get_involved/advocacy/capwiz/action_alert/html_pg-hd_arts-action.gif>

August 14, 2009

A message from Americans for the Arts



Along with millions of unemployed and uninsured Americans, the current economic crisis has affected the cultural sector dramatically. Like others who have fallen through the cracks of the current system, many in the cultural workforce work independently or operate in nontraditional employment relationships, leaving them locked out of group healthcare coverage options.  Additionally, soaring healthcare costs are consuming the ever decreasing budgets of nonprofit arts organizations hit hard by today's economic recession.  Congress is rapidly developing healthcare reform legislation to address these cost and coverage issues.   With debates about healthcare reform taking place in the media and in town hall meetings across the country, now is the time to ensure that the voice of the arts community is heard <http://capwiz.com/artsusa/utr/1/HGYQLCFYLI/MLCNLCFYVJ/3798678816> .



Americans for the Arts and a coalition of 20 national arts organizations have issued a statement <http://capwiz.com/artsusa/utr/1/HGYQLCFYLI/ILCILCFYVK/3798678816>  to Congress urging legislators to support reforms that address these critical issues to the nonprofit arts organizations at the state and local level, as well as individual artists across the country. The statement calls for a healthcare reform bill that:



- Creates a public health insurance option for individual artists, especially the uninsured, and create better choices for affordable access to universal health coverage without being denied because of pre-existing conditions.

- Helps financially-strapped nonprofit arts organizations reduce the skyrocketing health insurance costs to cover their employees without cuts to existing benefits and staff while the economy recovers. These new cost-savings could also enable nonprofit arts organizations to produce and present more programs to serve their communities.

- Enables smaller nonprofit and unincorporated arts groups to afford to cover part and full-time employees for the first time.

- Supports arts in healthcare programs, which have shown to be effective methods of prevention and patient care.



We have communicated our requests to Congress, but we need you to share your own stories of the challenges you have faced with healthcare coverage.  Please take two minutes to write your Members of Congress <http://capwiz.com/artsusa/utr/1/HGYQLCFYLI/JNGSLCFYVL/3798678816>  today!



You can also contribute to this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund.  If you are not already a member play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today <http://capwiz.com/artsusa/utr/1/HGYQLCFYLI/GVDPLCFYVM/3798678816>  -- it's free and simple.



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Americans for the Arts

1000 Vermont Avenue NW

6th Floor

Washington DC . 20005

T 202.371.2830

F 202.371.0424



One East 53rd Street . 2nd Floor

New York NY . 10022

T 212.223.2787

F 212.980.4857 info at artsusa.org<mailto:info at artsusa.org>

www.AmericansForTheArts.org<http://www.AmericansForTheArts.org> <http://www.americansforthearts.org/>

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