As the entertainment industry remains at a practical standstill with both the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on strike, the Directors Guild of America has instituted a free major medical plan for members that fall under certain eligibility requirements.
The DGA announced the development Monday evening, stating that the Board of Trustees of the Directors Guild of America-Producer Pension and Health Plans unanimously approved the new plan. The new arrangement represents an attempt to accommodate guild members who find themselves out of work, as most productions remain halted due to the actors and writers strikes and studios digging their heels in on major proposals.
“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,” DGA president Lesli linka Glatter said in a statement. “This innovative effort by the Plans’ trustees will help Plan participants facing financial hardship retain basic health coverage during this difficult time.”
The strike-related plan is being initially offered for a three-month period, beginning Oct. 1 through the end of 2023. The DGA will weigh further expansion of the program if the work stoppage continues. More details on which members qualify for the new plan and what benefits are included can be found on the DGA’s official website.
While both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA elected to strike after guild leadership decided that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ contract offer did not adequately fulfill their members’ needs, the DGA was quick to ratify a new contract with the AMPTP in June, with 87% approving in a 41% turnout from members. Last week, Glatter was re-elected to serve a second term as DGA president.
