Mission
ROCK FOR HEALTH is a non-profit organization formed in October of 2007. ROCK FOR HEALTH seeks to educate artists on health issues, provide necessary medical information and be an advocate for musicians in regards to health insurance coverage and long-term care. A population that is better informed about its health care coverage options will be better able to access needed care. ROCK FOR HEALTH will inform musicians on a wide variety of health issues including preventative health services, social, mental and occupational outreach. Through leadership, communication, and partnerships, ROCK FOR HEALTH is dedicated to the creation of a healthy musical environment in which artists and performers can perform at their peek physical and mental abilities.
History
The U.S. spends far more on health care than any other nation and as a consequence, we leave millions of our people without any coverage at all.
Today health insurance companies often consider musicians and artists an “at risk” population based on legitimate occupational health risks – road travel, hearing damage, and repetitive stress disorders. Many times, insurance companies stereotype artists because of the way that they look and the generalized idea of sex, drugs, rock and roll. Musicians who lack health insurance will very often delay or forgo health care until situations get desperate. At moments of crisis they are then forced to use hospitals, emergency rooms and trauma centers to seek treatment instead of addressing health problems at a point when less expensive interventions were possible. As a result, patients can very easily run up huge medical bills that can strap an individual or family with thousands of dollars of debt.
Musicians held about 249,000 jobs in 2004, half of them were self-employed and another 40% only worked part time. However, musician’s employment is expected to increase between 9% and 17% through 2014. This is likely due to the recent boom in the concert business in North America. Tours in North America made 3.1 billion in concert ticket revenue in 2006, 16% more than 2005. The number of ticket sales increased by 4% to 37.9 million. Musicians are touring more frequently, which provides the demand for the services ROCK FOR HEALTH will be providing. These tours also create a thriving industry environment for ROCK FOR HEALTH to tour and raise funds.
ROCK FOR HEALTH will be a tremendous benefit to the music community in many ways. First, ROCK FOR HEALTH will protect their customer’s well-being by providing them health solutions, such as access to treatment, medical advice and precautionary information, when dealing with the occupational hazards on tour. Secondly, ROCK FOR HEALTH will assist musicians’ pay for their medical bills, which will prevent them from working jobs outside the musical realm, keeping them focused on their careers.
There are many occupational hazards that come with being a musician. ROCK FOR HEALTH number one goal is to provide safety to musicians by giving access to the best possible care. Common risks are occupational hazards such as constant traveling, repetitive strain injuries, hearing damages and nutritional issues like maintaining proper diets.
In October 2007, Russ Alan Prince, head of Prince & Associates, a wealth-research firm, conducted a survey regarding health concerns for popular musicians. The 353 subjects involved in the survey were least 25 years old and worth an aggregate $10 million dollars. The survey revealed that 34% of the musicians ranked mental illness as their most significant health concern. This study shows the health concerns of the musician at the apex of the industry, but no matter how rich or poor the same health problems exists throughout the musician community.
Staff
Kristina Grossmann
President, ROCK FOR HEALTH
ROCK FOR HEALTH is a non-profit organization formed in October of 2007. ROCK FOR HEALTH seeks to educate artists on health issues, provide necessary medical information and be an advocate for musicians in regards to health insurance coverage and long-term care. A population that is better informed about its health care coverage options will be better able to access needed care. ROCK FOR HEALTH will inform musicians on a wide variety of health issues including preventative health services, social, mental and occupational outreach. Through leadership, communication, and partnerships, ROCK FOR HEALTH is dedicated to the creation of a healthy musical environment in which artists and performers can perform at their peek physical and mental abilities.
History
The U.S. spends far more on health care than any other nation and as a consequence, we leave millions of our people without any coverage at all.
Today health insurance companies often consider musicians and artists an “at risk” population based on legitimate occupational health risks – road travel, hearing damage, and repetitive stress disorders. Many times, insurance companies stereotype artists because of the way that they look and the generalized idea of sex, drugs, rock and roll. Musicians who lack health insurance will very often delay or forgo health care until situations get desperate. At moments of crisis they are then forced to use hospitals, emergency rooms and trauma centers to seek treatment instead of addressing health problems at a point when less expensive interventions were possible. As a result, patients can very easily run up huge medical bills that can strap an individual or family with thousands of dollars of debt.
Musicians held about 249,000 jobs in 2004, half of them were self-employed and another 40% only worked part time. However, musician’s employment is expected to increase between 9% and 17% through 2014. This is likely due to the recent boom in the concert business in North America. Tours in North America made 3.1 billion in concert ticket revenue in 2006, 16% more than 2005. The number of ticket sales increased by 4% to 37.9 million. Musicians are touring more frequently, which provides the demand for the services ROCK FOR HEALTH will be providing. These tours also create a thriving industry environment for ROCK FOR HEALTH to tour and raise funds.
ROCK FOR HEALTH will be a tremendous benefit to the music community in many ways. First, ROCK FOR HEALTH will protect their customer’s well-being by providing them health solutions, such as access to treatment, medical advice and precautionary information, when dealing with the occupational hazards on tour. Secondly, ROCK FOR HEALTH will assist musicians’ pay for their medical bills, which will prevent them from working jobs outside the musical realm, keeping them focused on their careers.
There are many occupational hazards that come with being a musician. ROCK FOR HEALTH number one goal is to provide safety to musicians by giving access to the best possible care. Common risks are occupational hazards such as constant traveling, repetitive strain injuries, hearing damages and nutritional issues like maintaining proper diets.
In October 2007, Russ Alan Prince, head of Prince & Associates, a wealth-research firm, conducted a survey regarding health concerns for popular musicians. The 353 subjects involved in the survey were least 25 years old and worth an aggregate $10 million dollars. The survey revealed that 34% of the musicians ranked mental illness as their most significant health concern. This study shows the health concerns of the musician at the apex of the industry, but no matter how rich or poor the same health problems exists throughout the musician community.
Staff
Kristina Grossmann
President, ROCK FOR HEALTH