Drake Bell slams SAG AFTRA after losing eligibility for health insurance: 'Do not become an actor'

Drake Bell has criticised SAG AFTRA after learning that he does not currently qualify for health insurance through the actors’ union health plan.

The Drake & Josh star shared a screenshot of the plan’s eligibility notice on his Instagram Story. The message stated that his reported covered earnings between July 2025 and June 2026 had failed to meet the minimum requirements, or that he had not satisfied other eligibility rules.

According to the report, Bell had earned $17,480.53 towards the required $28,933 threshold, leaving him $11,452.47 short.

Bell responded with a pointed message warning aspiring performers against entering the industry or joining the union. He also tagged SAG AFTRA and its president, actor Sean Astin, questioning whether performers should be responsible for running the organisation.

His criticism comes amid wider concerns about access to health coverage for working actors, whose earnings can fluctuate significantly between projects. Eligibility depends on meeting the plan’s requirements, meaning that even performers with lengthy careers can face difficulties if their qualifying earnings fall short.

Bell is not the only performer to have raised concerns recently. Jack Haven, known for Atypical, and Heather Matarazzo, who appeared in The Princess Diaries, have also spoken publicly about difficulties qualifying for coverage.

Haven previously described the situation as an emergency and said additional work was needed to secure insurance eligibility. The report later noted that Haven obtained enough work to qualify for coverage.

Bell’s career has included acting, music and voice work. He became widely recognised through the Nickelodeon series Drake & Josh, which aired during the 2000s.

In 2024, he also discussed his experience of childhood sexual abuse in the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, identifying former dialogue coach Brian Peck as his abuser.

His latest criticism places renewed attention on the financial pressures performers can face when trying to maintain health coverage between jobs. SAG AFTRA’s eligibility rules remain central to the dispute, although Bell’s post does not establish that the union changed its requirements.