Left to right: John Lytle (Lytle Management / President, MHA Board of Directors), Rose Bates, Dierks Bentley, Tatum Allsep (MHA Founder and CEO), Susan Fox (SVP Government Relations, The Walt Disney Company) photo credit Steve Lowry
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Music Health Alliance (MHA), the music industry’s critical non-profit healthcare resource, is marking major milestones in its mission to provide free healthcare advocacy and resources to music industry professionals. As the non-profit celebrates its first decade of providing free healthcare advocacy and support to a largely self-employed industry, MHA is uniquely positioned to continue to heal the music in the decades to come.
Music Health Alliance’s mission is to create a safe and confidential place for the music community to gain the very best healthcare and health insurance solutions through defined and transparent advocacy services, with an emphasis on the prevention of illness and overall wellness. Since 2013, MHA has:
- Saved more than $100,000,000 in healthcare costs
- Provided free advocacy and support to over 20,000 music industry clients in 50 states
- Facilitated more than 3,200 counseling sessions through MHA’s Mental Health Fund
- Saved nearly 2,500 families from bankruptcy due to medical bills
- Provided life-saving diagnostic care to 57 clients through the Ben Eyestone Fund
- Aided 31 individuals in securing life-saving heart, liver, kidney and lung transplants
- Provided access to more than 1,000,000 meals during the COVID-19 pandemic
“In ten years MHA has gone from just an idea to a thriving organization that has served tens of thousands and saved over $100 million in healthcare costs to keep the music playing across this country,” says Tatum Allsep, Music Health Alliance Founder and CEO. “MHA’s success is possible because we have a fierce staff, a dedicated Board of Directors, and encouraging donors and community who sincerely believe in our mission to Heal The Music. Thank you all and cheers to 10 years!”
The 15-person team at MHA continues the non-profit’s mission to provide free healthcare advocacy, access, and resources to the music industry, more than 75% of whom are self-employed. Songwriters, musicians, performers, producers, engineers, venue operators, artist managers, agents, publishers, business managers, and more have had access to critical medicine, mental health resources, diagnostic tests, lifesaving transplants, end-of-life care, and many other necessary services.
Reggie is one of the many music industry professionals who have received free healthcare advocacy and support from MHA. The 41 year-old tour manager lost his right arm below the elbow when he was injured in a tragic accident witnessed by his wife and children. He was quickly referred to MHA as he had no health insurance. Music Health Alliance was able to secure affordable coverage and negotiate his more than $500,000 in medical bills down to zero. By helping Reggie navigate the healthcare process, MHA enabled him to secure a neurobionics prosthetic arm, allowing him to resume his music career and arranged trauma counseling for the entire family. By providing access to health insurance, negotiating medical costs, and navigating the healthcare process, MHA was able to provide affordable solutions for an otherwise debilitating and career-ending healthcare crisis. “Music Health Alliance literally put my life and family back together when we thought all hope was lost,” said Reggie. “We thought we were going to lose our house and I thought I would never be able to work again. They saved us.”
During a kickoff event held at Nashville’s Gibson Garage yesterday, multi-platinum entertainer Dierks Bentley, a longtime supporter and client of MHA, joined the celebration as a celebrity ambassador.
“Healthcare is the ultimate thing you can offer your team out there on the road,” shared Bentley. “Having 30 people on my team, it is tough to navigate insurance and healthcare and having MHA to help us figure it out and uncover benefits we didn’t even know were available. They’ve helped us save so much over 10 years and $100 MILLION industry-wide…it’s just incredible!”
As MHA begins its tenth year of serving the music industry, it is honored to establish the Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund, named in memory of music enthusiasts and the Walt Disney Company’s longtime SVP, Government Relations. The Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund is the music industry’s first dedicated fund for dental health. Through the generosity and vision of Richard Bates’s family and friends, and matching grants from The Walt Disney Company, music professionals of all ages will no longer need to forgo critical dental healthcare that is often costly and not covered by medical insurance.
“Our family is very grateful to support something so meaningful and lasting,” said his widow Mrs. Rose Bates. “Richard would have been quite touched by this honor while being thrilled that it will help so many musicians with their health-related concerns.”
Music makers of all genres who are in need of critical dental healthcare will now be able to access qualifying grants through the Fund, with applications accessible here. The Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund will not only bring smiles, but will also make a significant impact on MHA’s mission to heal the music.
Entirely funded through grants and individual and corporate donations, financial support from the music community is critical to continue Music Health Alliance’s advocacy and free services. 86% of all dollars donated go directly to MHA’s programs and services – for every $1 donation, MHA is able to provide $30 in life-saving healthcare resources to Heal The Music.
As the non-profit enters its tenth year of healing the music, MHA is launching The Visionary Circle, an annual giving society to recognize generous friends who are invested in the ongoing success and future vision of Music Health Alliance. The future of MHA lies in the belief that no member of our music industry family should ever have to face a healthcare crisis alone, and The Visionary Circle will make an immediate impact on the scope of MHA’s work and ensure it can continue to heal the music for generations to come. Find additional information here.
MHA fights so those in our industry never have to feel alone in a health crisis and removes obstacles so patients can receive lifesaving care. MHA continues to advocate on behalf of songwriters, producers, audio engineers, musicians, recording artists, publishers and more across the country. Thanks to the direct efforts of MHA, over 20,000 members of the music community across the country have gained access to lifesaving transplants, medicine, mental health resources, end-of-life care, and many other necessary services. Its services are free to any person who has worked in the music industry for two or more years or who has credited contributions to 4 commercially released recordings or videos. Spouses, partners, and children of qualifying individuals may also receive access to the non-profit’s services from birth to end of life.
To learn more about Music Health Alliance’s free services and resources,
contact MHA at 615-200-6896 or info@musichealthalliance.com
Donate to Music Health Alliance at: MusicHealthAlliance.com/donate-to-heal