Dear Young Photo Assistant,
If you haven’t been following the health care debate in Congress, there’s something in it for you. Check this out:
The Health Care Reform Bill that just passed the House of Representatives would ALLOW YOU TO STAY ON YOUR PARENTS’ HEALTH INSURANCE UNTIL YOU ARE 27! Am I yelling this, yes I am. This is great news for photographers and assistants.
If this provision stays in the Heath Care Bill, it will allow photographers to hire assistants right out of school and assistants to not worry about where their insurance is going to come from or buying it at very high costs. I have had many students and would-be young assistants in the past say they could not work for a photographer, as the pay was too low for them to buy their own insurance and the photographer could not afford to provide them with insurance.
If you’ve never done it before, call your Senator!!! E-mail them and tell them how great this is! Click here to e-mail the U.S. Senate.
Most likely the Senate will now take up debate on their own version of health care reform and then if a bill passes, the two bills will merge into one bill when the two sides get together to work out their differences in conference. We need to make sure this provision stays in the final bill.
What you can do:
1) Call or e-mail your Senator and tell them how important it is that they vote for health care reform.
2) Make sure to tell them that you support the provision in the bill allowing you to stay on your parents’ health insurance until the age of 27.
Kind regards,
Greg Ceo
This is not only good for your young assistants who can stay on until 27, but older assistants and photographers who will be able to buy into the Exchange at the same rates as GM is charged for health coverage. AND depending on where they fall income wise they will get affordability credits to help them pay for the insurance. It is a win win for everyone so call your Senator today. Tell them they have to pass this on the floor of the Senate as soon as possible!
[...] via Greg Ceo Blog. [...]
One question that actually came up while I was discussing this with my parents is what health care is it? My parents have Blue Cross Blue Shield… Does this bill apply to every health insurance plan in the country or is it specific to certain plans/companies?
Are you kidding me!? This is the worst thing that could happen to America. Just name one thing that the government controls that is run without huge amounts of waste and overspending.
@Jason – actually, I think there are lots of things that meet that criteria. Medicare is renowned for being a well-run program, and people speak very well of the VA too. And so what if there is some waste that’s a necessary part of a large bureaucracy? The wasted spending at our health insurance companies is far worse – they spend a much, much higher percentage of their premiums on administrative costs than is spent in countries that have some kind of universal system. Check out T.R. Reid’s book,on the costs and outcomes of having a bum shoulder treated all over the world.
Ok lets look at this statement:
‘….they could not work for a photographer, as the pay was too low for them to buy their own insurance and the photographer could not afford to provide them with insurance.’ This indicates a far greater problem in the photo community than getting someone’s parents to subsidize your business costs. If rates can not support hiring a needed assistant then what is really wrong with this picture? Is it now viable to consider someone else’s parents’ support part of your business model?
Yes we desperately need health care reform, but this does not spell any sort of relief in my book.