Melanie’s Monthly Program Update: Taking Action with Preventive Support
Image via Unsplash
By Melanie Bobbett
For 16 years, JWF's Musician Health & Services Program has been our local music community's safety net during health-related hardships, providing financial assistance with living and medical expenses along with navigation to additional resources. With local housing costs rising over the years (a struggle at baseline, let alone with any income disruption), JWF's assistance with rent and mortgage is a huge part of our support during health crises: 52% of our grants went to rent and mortgage in 2024, and 57% in 2025. Where our broken social systems fall short for musicians and other industry workers, JWF is there to help maintain housing, keep the lights and phones on, and keep medical expenses at bay.
Through the stories of everyone JWF has helped, we've seen the same undeniable themes again and again at the root of why health issues so quickly put music workers into hardship. To name just a few: financial instability due to lack of guaranteed fair pay; no paid time off; inconsistent access to affordable health coverage and care; and, in turn, severe health conditions that preventive health support may have lessened or avoided. Emerging data now validates what JWF sees and reveals this as a nationwide issue in the music industry, as shown in the results of MusiCares' recent Wellness in Music surveys:
2024 Wellness in Music Survey
2025 Wellness in Music Survey
A few points from the MusiCares data:
"78 percent [of respondents] did not receive a hearing screening in the past year — an alarming figure given their work requires regular exposure to high decibels. Additionally, for those aged 45 and older, 70 percent missed recommended colonoscopy screenings, and 62 percent of female respondents aged 24 and older went without cervical cancer screenings. Eye health is also underserved, with 60 percent of those under 45 skipping vision screenings last year."
"Income instability remains a reality for many, with 53 percent noting that their earnings have not stabilized post-pandemic. Additionally, 69 percent of respondents said they are unable to comfortably cover expenses through their work in music alone. This financial strain has a direct impact on mental health, as 47 percent and 44 percent of respondents attributed stress and anxiety to financial concerns respectively."
"Nearly half of respondents have their insurance through federal programs or the Affordable Care Act, making them particularly vulnerable to potential changes in tax credits, subsidies and health care legislation."
JWF decided to take action on these trends. Along with our ongoing ‘reactive’ assistance during health crises, we've identified ways to more proactively support music workers' health and wellness. Our first step was the partnership we established in 2024 with the Oregon Health Authority's Office of Community Health & Engagement. This allows JWF to directly support our music community with OHP (Medicaid) and Marketplace insurance enrollment and system navigation, in turn reducing barriers to care. Our support with health insurance and access to medical, dental, or mental health care is available at any time, not just when receiving JWF assistance during a health crisis.
Our next step came thanks to Kyleen King, a local musician and mental health professional who started the JWF Music Makers Support Group in May 2026. If you missed our recent blog on Kyleen, her incredible contributions to JWF's expanding services, and the impact of this group, read it here: Musicians Healing Musicians
And there's more to come: JWF is actively establishing more local partnerships to improve access to preventive care and resources for various dimensions of music professionals' health and wellness.
JWF's Musician Health & Services Program is also zeroing in on coming changes to OHP (Medicaid) due to recent federal legislation. Beginning in 2027, new OHP eligibility rules will be uniquely challenging for self-employed music workers to navigate. Since more than 80% of the people JWF has assisted over the past 4 years have OHP, this will significantly impact our music community. Because of JWF's dedication to proactively support access to coverage and care, and thanks to our partnership with the Oregon Health Authority, we'll be here for direct help through these changes.
Join Us. Register Now.
If you are a musician or music industry worker with the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), JWF and the Oregon Health Authority have important
information for you about eligibility changes coming in 2027.
Overview of OHP Changes
Please join JWF and Oregon Health Authority staff for a presentation about these changes. Among other topics, we will discuss how to
navigate new work requirements when self-employed with fluctuating hours and income, as is often the case for musicians and other music industry workers.
Thursday, October 22nd
Doors 10:30 AM, event: 11 AM -1 PM
Musicians Union Local 99
325 NE 20th Ave
Portland, OR 97232
Take care out there,
Melanie
