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Why Artists Are Turning to Fans to Help Pay for Healthcare
Musicians' health care costs are high, and many artists are turning to fans on GoFundMe and other grassroots fundraising to pay their medical bills.
But musicians such as Jon Dee and rockers Matthew Sweet and Jesse Malin, as well as the late David Johansen and Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen, have recently tapped into loyal, generous fan bases through crowd-sourcing sites like GoFundMe and other grassroots fundraising. After Chappell Roan demanded “a livable wage and health care” for artists during her acceptance speech at the 2025 Grammy Awards, music-business experts pointed out that musicians signed to major labels could access health-insurance plans provided by the SAG-AFTRA union for premiums comparable to the ACA. He also has vision problems and is “generally wheelchair-bound in his home.” In addition, Sweet’s wife recently broke her leg, forcing the family to hire a full-time nurse — which is not covered through the singer’s ACA insurance or early Medicare.
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