Home · Health · Sep 9 archive
Nonprofits Help Musicians Secure Health Insurance in Austin, Texas
Developing
In Short: In Austin, Texas, nonprofits are assisting musicians navigate health insurance enrollment, particularly through the Affordable Care Act, to ensure they can continue their artistic pursuits.
For years, musicians in Austin have balanced their careers, with some working in tech during the day and performing music at night. With the Affordable Care Act's implementation, organizations like HAAM began helping musicians understand and enroll in health insurance, though they initially did not cover premiums directly.
In 2025, Good Work Austin, a nonprofit advocating for restaurant workers, launched a pilot program with Central Health to assist local food workers in enrolling in health plans and covering premiums. Kit Abney Spelce, vice president of operations for Central Health, emphasized the importance of partnering with advocacy groups to ensure effective outreach.
Zack Morgan, a musician who lost his corporate job in 2015, faced the challenge of securing health insurance. He turned to HAAM, a local nonprofit that subsidizes the monthly insurance premiums of local musicians purchasing plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
To fund this roughly $4 million program, HAAM collaborates with Central Health, a public agency providing healthcare resources for low-income residents in Austin and surrounding Travis County. After over a decade, including during the coronavirus pandemic, the assistance program has become a reliable financial support for Austin's vibrant musician community.
What's still developing
- For years, he said, he’d been playing both sides of the Austin coin: tech worker by day, funk keyboardist by night.
- “When the Affordable Care Act came out, and we knew it was here to stay, it really made sense for us to start getting our musicians fully insured,” said Rachel Blair, HAAM’s chief strategy officer.
- With the advent of the ACA, some of these organizations began helping musicians navigate the sometimes complex enrollment process for the online marketplaces, though they stopped short of pitching in on premiums.
- In Austin, other sectors have been watching HAAM’s work.
- Kit Abney Spelce, vice president of operations for Central Health, said partnering with an advocacy group focused on a particular workforce is key because simply announcing “free insurance for you” doesn’t mean people will sign up.
- “Step one in that was: Get health insurance again.” Austin bills itself as “the Live Music Capital of the World,” but it can be unaffordable for the artists who provide the city with its cultural cachet — and help drive its tourism revenue.
Sources
- Kffhealthnewslink