HAAM: Uniting Central Texas for musicians

The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) is putting together their 13th annual HAAM Day benefit, that perhaps more than anything else lives up to Austin’s title as Live Music Capital of the World.

Central Texas businesses and music venues on Tuesday, Sept. 11 will host over 200 performances from local musicians and donate a portion of their daily sales to support HAAM. 

In 2017, HAAM Benefit Day raised over $500,000 for affordable healthcare for musicians – counting corporate sponsorships, contributions by participating businesses and the cash showgoers dropped in donation boxes at venues. The much anticipated event brought the entire Central Texas community together for a day full of live music at 200 venues throughout Central Texas, and looks to do so again this year.

HAAM provides access to affordable health care for Central Texas’ low-income working musicians, with a focus on prevention and wellness. They have helped over 5,000 musicians – 2,900 in 2018 alone – access over 56,000 healthcare appointments valued at over $46 million dollars since they began in 2005.

“Although HAAM stands for Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, we actually serve all the counties that touch Travis County – Hays, Bastrop, Burnett, Williamson, Caldwell,” Director of Marketing and Events Rikki Hardy said. “Austin, and the Central Texas area in general, is known for the live music and the live music culture. That’s why a lot of people are moving here is the live music culture we’ve developed over the last couple of decades. So our mission is keeping those musicians alive and well doing what they love.” 

In Hays County, there have been more than 80 musicians that have been served by HAAM, including Sterling Finlay, the son of late music legend and the former owner of Cheatham Street Warehouse Kent Finlay. 

Finlay received a heart transplant with help from HAAM when he became gravely ill after the 2015 Memorial Day Floods. His legs had been sliced and cut while they were immersed in the flood waters when Finlay was carrying his 6-year-old daughter out of their home after the waters began to rise rapidly. The cuts led to a viral infection that gave Finlay congestive heart failure and left him in dire need of a heart transplant.

“I was so sick that I had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even lay down and sleep, because my body had just started retaining a lot of fluid – I didn’t  know what was going on,” Finlay said. “But I knew that I could go to the doctor because of HAAM.”

When he drove to the Kyle Seton Hospital and was admitted, doctors were not sure he would make it through the night. 

Finlay had joined HAAM years before at his father’s  insistence. 

“Through HAAM I got appointments with doctors, I got appointments with specialists,” Finlay said. “I wouldn’t of had anywhere to go had HAAM not taken care of me. It got me in the door.” 

Finlay eventually got a heart transplant and recovered. And he believes that he wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the assistance and resources of HAAM.

HAAM offers a slew of benefits to all its members, including an annual dental appointment, one vision screening and free pair of glasses per year, a hearing screening and custom hearing protection, along with access to grants for further medical needs. They help make things like routine dental work, doctor visits and prescriptions, psychiatric counseling sessions, eye exams, out-patient procedures, specialist referrals and more available to musicians in and around Austin that wouldn’t have easy access to these service otherwise.

Musician and Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) member Sterling Finlay with his daughter Annie. 

According to Finlay, HAAM provides more than just access to healthcare for musicians, it provides legitimacy that their career paths and goals are not just a hobbies. 

“Art in general – whether it’s musician, visual artists or thespians – so many people don’t consider it an actual vocation, a trade or job,” Finlay said. “It doesn’t have insurance, it doesn’t have benefits. Artists sacrifice so much to do what they do. But HAAM it’s not just insurance, it’s acceptance.”

HAAM staff meets with each member during their open enrollment period every year –  from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 –  to renew their benefits and determine their eligibility for health coverage, including Marketplace insurance plans. According to Hardy, approximately 85 to 90 percent of HAAM’s members currently qualify for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. 

With the healthcare market and policies in constant flux the past several years, HAAM has gotten really good at riding the changing tides of the healthcare landscape, according to Hardy. In response to the 2016 election and the possible ending of  the Affordable Care Act, HAAM introduced new navigation and case management services to help members understand and get the best possible health coverage and services available to them.

There will be one show in the San Marcos area on Sept. 11 for HAAM Day. Mason Lively will be playing a show at Cheatham Street Warehouse starting at 8 p.m. A portion of all proceeds from the show will benefit HAAM. The show is 18 and up. Minors will be charged an additional $5 at the door. 

For the list of more than 200 performances throughout Central Texas, go to HAAM's website. For those interested in becoming HAAM members, email support@myhaam.org.

rwillis@sanmarcosrecord.com

Twitter: @rachelcantweet