Drake Bell Excluded From SAG-AFTRA Health Insurance, Cites Eligibility Issues
The former child star revealed on Instagram that he does not qualify for health coverage through the union, urging others against acting careers.
Nickelodeon actor Drake Bell has publicly stated that he no longer qualifies for health insurance through SAG-AFTRA due to eligibility issues, despite decades of work in the entertainment industry. Bell, 40, shared a screenshot on his Instagram Stories showing a message from the union's health plan website indicating he did not meet the minimum earnings requirements for coverage during the specified period.
According to the message, Bell's reported earnings from July 2025 to June 2026 were $17,480.53, falling short of the $28,933 required to qualify for the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan. He noted that he still needed to earn an additional $11,452.47.
Bell expressed his frustration, advising aspiring actors against pursuing the profession and joining SAG. "Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG. You can work for 35 years and they still say [middle finger emoji]," he wrote, also directing a comment towards SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin.
His disclosure comes amid similar concerns from other actors. Actress Heather Matarazzo recently shared that she was at risk of losing her SAG-AFTRA health insurance, and actor Jack Haven made a public appeal for work to meet his eligibility requirements. Matarazzo commented that many of her fellow actors are in a similar situation, reminiscing about a time when minimum earnings were not a barrier to insurance.
SAG members must earn at least $28,090 to qualify for health insurance, a threshold that is set to increase to $28,933 in 2027, according to Entertainment Weekly.
This is not the first time Bell has spoken out about his financial circumstances related to his acting career. Last year, he claimed that contract terms from his work with Nickelodeon have left him struggling to pay rent. Despite the enduring popularity of shows like "Drake & Josh," Bell stated he receives only one-off payments for his work and no residuals, unlike actors from shows such as "Friends," who reportedly earn millions annually from syndication alone.
Bell, who also starred in "The Amanda Show," described his financial situation as a result of "evil people" and a corrupt business system, where corporations profit immensely from actors' work without providing adequate long-term compensation or benefits. He lamented that while some productions, like "Drake & Josh" reruns appearing on platforms like Netflix, generate significant revenue, he struggles with basic expenses like rent.