Health insurance outcry from former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell
Former child star Drake Bell announced that he has been dropped from SAG-AFTRA health insurance coverage and urged young people not to pursue acting.
While livelihood struggles behind the glitzy face of the film industry continue, former child star Drake Bell announced that he can no longer benefit from SAG-AFTRA health insurance due to eligibility issues and warned his fans.
Dropped from Health Insurance
Learning that he no longer falls under health insurance coverage after a decades-long career, 40-year-old actor Drake Bell shared a screenshot on his social media account showing that his insurance coverage was denied.
Fell Short of the Income Threshold
The shared image revealed that Bell earned $17,480.53 during the specified period, needed to earn an additional $11,452.47 to reach the $28,933 threshold required for the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan, and failed to meet the conditions.
Warning to His Fans
Bell, the star of the series Drake & Josh, stated that even if one works for thirty-five years, failing to meet the conditions leads to victimization, and called on young people never to become actors.
Residuals and Livelihood Struggles
Criticizing the contract terms he signed during his work at Nickelodeon last year as well, Bell had stated that he did not receive residuals from the rebroadcast of his shows and struggled to pay rent.
Similar Cases in the Industry
Bell's post came to light weeks after Heather Matarazzo announced that she was facing the risk of losing her health insurance and weeks after Jack Haven's appeal.