The following is a summary of the deal terms for the 2026 MBA. It is a simplified version of the Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”), which contains the full text of the new provisions. The language of the MOA controls in the case of any inconsistency with this summary. Unless amended in the 2026 negotiations, the provisions of the 2023 MBA remain unchanged.
1. Term of Agreement
The term of the agreement is May 2, 2026 through May 1, 2030.
2. Minimums Increases
Most MBA minimums increase by 1.5% for the first year of the agreement, and will increase another 3% on May 2, 2027, 3% on May 2, 2028, and 3% on May 2, 2029. Some minimums and rates increase less, mostly by 2.5% in the later contract years, while a few rates increase only once or do not increase over the contract. The minimum for individual Comedy-Variety weekly compensation will increase by 2.5% in the first year, and 3% each year thereafter.
3. Health and Pension
The Health Fund was a key focus of the 2026 negotiations, with the goal of securing adequate funding to continue providing high-quality benefits to writers and their dependents. In recent years, the Health Fund has been strained by the combination of the industry contraction, which has reduced the number of jobs and increased the number of writers relying on Extended Coverage Points, and skyrocketing healthcare costs, which have driven up our in-network plan costs 13% per year since 2019.
In this agreement, we negotiated increased health contribution rates and caps along with diverting monies from the Paid Parental Leave Fund. These increases and diversions are projected to result in a total of at least $321 million in additional contributions to the Health Fund over the term of the agreement, including $280 million in new contributions from the companies. By comparison, the last time the Guild sought increases to bolster the Health Fund in 2017, the companies agreed to increase the contribution rate by 2% over the term of the MBA and to increase the overall deal caps by $25,000. These gains were projected at the time to generate an additional $66 million in contributions over three years.
The 2026 negotiated gains will shore up the Health Fund and put it on a path to sustainability.
Increased Contributions
Contribution Rate
The Health Fund contribution on reportable earnings will increase 3.25% in the first year of the agreement, from 13% to 16.25%, and then another 0.5% in the second year, to 16.75%. This increase includes 0.25% reallocated from the current 0.5% contribution rate for the Paid Parental Leave Fund, where contributions have significantly exceeded benefit costs since the program’s inception.
In addition, the deal includes a one-time transfer of $25 million to the Health Fund from the Paid Parental Leave fund, which will still maintain sufficient funding to pay out benefits.
Health Contribution Caps
The 2026 MBA includes various increases to the caps on the amount of writer earnings that generate health contributions, many of which had not meaningfully increased in decades. These higher caps will support the overall health of the plan by reducing the effective discount companies have been taking on contributions.
- Screen: The Health Fund contribution cap on screen projects will increase for the first year of the MBA from $250,000 to $325,000, then to $375,000 as of May 2, 2027, and to $400,000 as of May 2, 2028.
- Pilots: The Health Fund contribution cap on pilots will increase for the first year of the MBA from $225,000 for a one-hour and $170,000 for a half-hour to $270,000 for a one-hour and $200,000 for a half-hour in the first year of the MBA, and then to $300,000 for a one-hour and $225,000 for a half-hour as of May 2, 2028.
- Overall Deals: The Health Fund contribution cap on overall deals will increase for the first year of the MBA from $275,000 to $325,000, to $375,000 as of May 2, 2027, and to $400,000 as of May 2, 2028.
| HEALTH FUND CONTRIBUTION CAPS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | May 2, 2026 | May 2, 2027 | May 2, 2028 | May 2, 2029 | |
| Screen | $250,000 | $325,000 | $375,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
| Pilots – Half Hour | $170,000 | $200,000 | $200,000 | $225,000 | $225,000 |
| Pilots – One Hour | $225,000 | $270,000 | $270,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
| Overall Deals | $275,000 | $325,000 | $375,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 |
Pension Contribution Diversions
The Guild has the right to divert up to 0.5% in each of the third and fourth years of the agreement from various minimum increases to the Pension Plan if the Plan is projected to fall below certain funding thresholds over a 10-year projection period.
Health Fund Benefit Changes
As part of the 2026 MBA in addition to the significant increases in contributions to the Health Fund outlined above, the Guild agreed to implement a number of cost-saving measures starting in 2027. These changes are intended to make the plan more sustainable, generating savings while preserving member choice and access to high-quality benefits, and limiting out-of-pocket costs as much as possible.
Starting immediately upon ratification, the WGA and the Fund administrators will dedicate resources to informing and educating members about coming changes. Among the changes will be increases in the monthly premiums that Active participants pay for health coverage. The Fund currently has no participant premium and only charges $50 per month to cover any number of dependents, an amount that has been frozen for 23 years.
Participants will also have to pay some increased amounts in out-of-pocket expenses related to deductibles, co-insurance and their out-of-pocket maximums in the Anthem PPO plan. To address rising out-of-network expenses, the Fund will be adjusting its reimbursement of out-of-network behavioral healthcare to be in line with reimbursement for all other out-of-network care. For Medicare-age retirees, the Fund will make changes to the drug benefit that will cause minimal disruption while saving the Fund and many participants money on their prescriptions; post-65 Medicare Primary retirees will continue to pay the existing premiums of $50 for any dependents.
| Changes to the Anthem PPO | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current | Beginning Jan. 1, 2027 | |
| Member Premiums (Monthly) | Active/Pre-65: Single participant: $0 Any number of dependents: $50 |
Active/pre-65: Medicare-primary post-65: |
| Deductible (Individual / Family) | In-Network: $400 / $1,200 Out of Network: $400 / $1,200 |
In-Network: $500 / $1,500 Out-of-Network: $500 / $1,500 Increases 3% annually |
| Out-of-Pocket Maximum (In-Network) | $1,000 per person | $2,500 per person Increases 3% annually |
| Coinsurance | Plan covers 85% in-network / 60% out-of-network | Plan covers 80% in-network / 60% out-of-network |
| Out-of-Network Reimbursement | Out-of-network Behavioral Health (BH) is reimbursed at a different rate than non-BH care | All BH and non-BH care out-of-network to be reimbursed at the same rate (150% of Medicare) |
| The Industry Health Network | Members pay discounted rates at The Industry Health Network clinics and associated referrals | Discontinue the Industry Health Network; the clinics remain available at the same cost-sharing as other providers. |
| Changes for Post-65 Medicare-primary Retirees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current | Beginning Jan. 1, 2027 | |
| Medicare Part D | "Retiree Drug Subsidy" program with limited federal reimbursements | Switching to the "Employer Group Waiver Plan" (EGWP) moves Medicare retirees onto a Medicare drug formulary with a more generous federal rebate. Under EGWP, a small number of prescribed drugs will be reviewed for possible generic alternatives, and high-income Medicare retirees will pay a small additional premium for drug coverage. Express Scripts will continue to administer the program. |
With these changes, the Anthem PPO offering will continue to provide access to a broad network of providers with low participant cost-sharing compared to most plans in the U.S. For comparison, the Mercer Benchmark1 estimates that typical premiums for employer-sponsored healthcare are $185 per month for single coverage and $682 per month for a family.
As an alternative to the Anthem PPO, starting in 2027 the Health Fund will offer a new plan option for active participants and pre-Medicare retirees through a network called Centivo, which includes all of the UCLA health system in Los Angeles and Mount Sinai in NY as well as providers in other parts of the country. This plan will offer lower premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for participants. This targeted network option, which is able to negotiate lower rates with providers and requires referrals for specialists, will help the Plan keep healthcare costs lower. Writers will have the option to enroll in Centivo when they become eligible for coverage, during an open enrollment period once a year, or after major life events.
| Centivo Partnership Plan2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| In-Network | Out-of-Network | |
| Member Premiums (Monthly) | Active/pre-65 Retirees: Single Participant: $25 Participant + 1 Dependent: $50 Participant + multiple dependents: $75 Increases 3% annually |
|
| Deductible (Individual / Family) | $0 | $500 / $1,500 (same as Anthem PPO) |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | $2,000 (Individual) $4,000 (Family) |
$20,000 per person (same as Anthem PPO) |
| Co-insurance | No participant cost-sharing in-network except co-pays3 | 60% out-of-network (same as Anthem PPO) |
Eligibility Changes
Currently, due to the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, a writer must earn nearly $190,000 in a year to generate contributions that cover the actual average cost of care. Many writers who qualify for coverage earn less than this amount. The Health Fund also allows members to qualify for retiree coverage and to earn “Extended Coverage Points” to extend their coverage during periods between jobs. No contributions are paid into the Health Fund when points are used. To continue to offer a plan that provides for broad and extended coverage in this fashion, we have agreed to certain changes to the eligibility threshold and Extended Coverage Points.
Since 2003, the eligibility qualifying threshold for coverage has been set at the one-hour network primetime story and teleplay minimum, which increases each year with MBA minimums; that amount is currently $46,759, roughly one-quarter of the cost of coverage under the Plan. In July 2027, the earnings threshold to qualify for coverage will increase to 110% of the one-hour network primetime story and teleplay minimum, or $53,773, and thereafter will continue to increase with MBA minimums.
| Plan Eligibility (Anthem or Centivo) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current | Beginning July 1, 2027 | |
| Earnings Threshold (goes up July 1 of each year) | 100% of Network Primetime story and teleplay minimum ($46,759 as of July 1, 2025) | 110% of Network Primetime story and teleplay minimum ($53,773 as of July 1, 2027) |
Writers who do not reach the eligibility threshold are entitled to use Extended Coverage Points to maintain coverage. Since 2014, writers have been able to earn up to three Extended Coverage Points per year, with the first point accrued upon qualifying for coverage, the second point earned at $125,000 in covered compensation, and the third at $250,000. Extended coverage currently costs 2.5 points per quarter. As a result, writers are not only covered by the Plan but also accruing additional years of coverage while earning contributions that have not covered the cost of coverage even in their working years. The current system of Extended Coverage Points is unsustainable and the bargaining parties have agreed to certain changes.
Starting January 1, 2027, the first Extended Coverage Point will be earned at $200,000 in annual earnings, and the second once earnings reach the compensation cap for screen, which will be $325,000 on January 1, 2027 and will increase along with the negotiated increases to screen caps. Additionally, Extended Coverage under the Anthem PPO plan will cost 4 points per quarter, while Extended Coverage under the new Centivo plan option will cost 2.5 points per quarter. Consistent with the current rule, these points can be used once a participant has accrued 10 points. This will set the Extended Coverage program on a more sustainable path going forward.
| Extended Coverage Program (ECP) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current | Beginning July 1, 2027 | |
| ECP Point Spending | 2.5 points per quarter for Anthem PPO | 4 points per quarter for Anthem PPO, 2.5 points per quarter for Centivo |
| ECP Point Accrual | Per 12 months of coverage: 1 credit, 2nd credit for $125K annual earners, 3rd credit for $250K annual earners | Per 12 months of coverage: 1 credit for $200K annual earners, 2nd credit at negotiated screen cap ($325,000 as of Jan 1, 2027, $375,000 as of Jan 1, 2028, $400,000 as of Jan 1, 2029) |
4. Artificial Intelligence
This contract preserves all of the protections negotiated in 2023 and adds requirements should the companies seek to license writers’ scripts or the produced projects based on those scripts to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) systems. Companies must give the Guild written notice if they license writers’ work to train a commercial GAI system in order to create outputs, and the Guild can request discussion with the company about the license, including any remuneration for writers.
5. Improved Terms for Screenwriter Employment
- Page one rewrites: Added a new minimum for this specialized form of work to the MBA. “Page one” rewrites—where the writer is hired to replace all or substantially all of an existing screenplay, with a contract specifying a “page-one rewrite”—will have a higher minimum than standard rewrites, of $57,500 for a high-budget feature and $31,500 for low budget in the first year and then increasing with minimums. This minimum will be effective for contracts entered into on or after May 2, 2026.
- Guaranteed second step: Expanded the mandatory second step protection for writers hired for a first draft screenplay at 225% or less of the applicable minimum, up from 200%, which the Guild first won in 2023.
- Free work demands from producers: The companies agree to instruct any producer engaged on a covered theatrical project that only the named individual in the writer’s contract can request rewrites or accept delivery.
6. Television Development and Series Employment
- If/come deals: Starting with deals entered into on or after January 1, 2027, if/come deals are non-exclusive and “no position” until the company has paid the writer for the first step of the pilot (i.e., 10% commencement fee).
- Format fees: Effective May 2, 2026, the minimum fee for a format fee increases 42% to better reflect the amount of work required to write a format, from $14,118 to $20,000; the higher minimum will then increase with MBA minimums over the remaining MBA term.
- Writers in Production: The requirement to employ two writers in production (in addition to the Showrunner) will be extended to Pay TV and High-Budget Subscription Video On Demand programs where the writers room overlaps with production for up to 3 weeks, effective for projects with rooms for new seasons commencing January 1, 2027 or after.
- Span Protection: Span protections will be expanded to cover more writers paid per episode on short order series, by increasing the cap on earnings from $450,000 to $475,000 (Basic Cable remaining at $375,000), effective for new contracts starting May 2, 2027.
7. Improved Residuals for TV and High-Budget Subscription Video On Demand (HBSVOD)
- HBSVOD Residuals: The residual base for domestic and foreign HBSVOD residuals will increase by 2.5% effective for projects written starting May 2, 2027, and by another 2.5% on May 2, 2029.
- Foreign HBSVOD Residuals: Increased foreign streaming residuals for the biggest streamers: Foreign streaming residuals for projects on subscription streaming services with more than 75 million foreign subscribers (including Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+) will increase by 6% in Year 1 before increasing an additional 2.5% in Years 2 and 4 as noted above. Combining the higher foreign tier with the 2.5% base increases, the 3-year residuals for domestic and foreign streaming will be:
| 3-Year Total Domestic + Foreign HBSVOD Residuals – One Hour | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Y1 | Y2 | Y3 | Y4 | |
| Netflix / Amazon / Disney+ & Hulu4 | $87,546 | $89,370 | $91,605 | $91,605 | $93,895 |
| Paramount+ | $76,603 | $76,603 | $78,518 | $78,518 | $80,481 |
| Apple+ | $53,622 | $53,622 | $54,963 | $54,963 | $56,337 |
| HBO Max / Peacock5 | $36,478 | $36,478 | $37,390 | $37,390 | $38,324 |
| 3-Year Total Domestic + Foreign HBSVOD Residuals – Half Hour | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Y1 | Y2 | Y3 | Y4 | |
| Netflix / Amazon / Disney+ & Hulu | $48,165 | $49,169 | $50,397 | $50,397 | $51,659 |
| Paramount+ | $42,144 | $42,144 | $43,198 | $43,198 | $44,279 |
| Apple+ | $29,501 | $29,501 | $30,238 | $30,238 | $30,995 |
| HBO Max / Peacock | $20,069 | $20,069 | $20,570 | $20,570 | $21,085 |
- Viewership-based streaming bonus: The residual for projects reaching a viewership metric of 20% of a service’s domestic subscribers will increase from 50% of the applicable domestic and foreign residual to 75% of the applicable domestic and foreign residual for projects released after January 1, 2027.
- “Teleplay by” or “Written for Television by” only credit: When a writer receives “Teleplay by” or “Written for Television by” credit on an episode with no “Story by” credit, that writer will get 100% of any fixed residual rather than only the teleplay portion, resulting in a 44-54% increase in the residual amount, depending on the episode length.
- Improved residuals reporting requirements: The major studios must separately report to the Guild their foreign and domestic grosses for gross-based residuals, and must separately report their revenues for subscription video-on-demand, download-to-rent, and Pay Television, both of which will help with enforcement.
8. Electronic Copies
A credited writer of a television episode can request a digitally watermarked electronic copy of their episode from the company.
9. Showrunner Training Program
The contract increases the annual funding for the Showrunner Training Program from $250,000 to $275,000, which will support both WGAW and WGAE’s programs.
10. Additional Arbitrators
Five arbitrators are added to the panel to hear MBA claims in Los Angeles, replacing four who were removed. We agreed to five arbitrators to hear MBA claims in New York.
11. Tri-Guild Audit Program
Funding for Tri-Guild auditing of residuals payments for the term of the agreement.
12. Administrative Changes
- The parties agreed that various types of written notices may now be sent via email as an alternative to certified mail.
- Replaced gender-specific pronouns in the MBA with gender-neutral pronouns or nouns like “writer,” “employee” or “individual.”
- Studios that are related to streaming platforms must facilitate a conversation with the WGA about identifying the credited writers of projects on that streaming platform’s menu and tiles.
13. Other Changes (Company Proposals)
- The companies had proposed to eliminate the existing 35% of the other than network primetime rate fixed residual for episodes licensed to foreign free TV under any new license and pay only the revenue-based residual of 1.2%. We agreed to a modified residuals formula for dramatic programs made for High Budget SVOD that are newly licensed to foreign free television, where the existing fixed residual of up to 35% is adjusted up or down depending on the ratio between the foreign revenues received and 75% of the applicable foreign revenue threshold. For instance, a half-hour program’s adjustment ratio would be foreign revenues received divided by $281,962.50 (75% of $375,950). The 1.2% residual above the applicable foreign revenue threshold will continue to apply.
- We agreed to expand the current discounted pension contribution rate for pilots and one-hour series in their first season of 9.75% (instead of 11.25%) to half-hour series in their first season. This change will not impact individual writers’ pension accruals because pension contributions above 6% are decoupled from the calculation of writers’ pension benefits.
Note: The above summary is for informational purposes only. The MOA contains all negotiated deal points in contract language.
If you have questions, WGAW members should contact the Contracts Department; WGAE members should contact Mack Harden, mharden@wgaeast.org.
1Mercer conducts an annual survey of employer-sponsored health plans in the US.
2More details on the Centivo Partnership Plan will be available later in 2026.
3In-network Primary Care visits will be $0, in-network specialist visits will be $25, and other in-network services (urgent care, lab work/x-rays, ER visits, surgery, and hospital stays) will all have flat copays rather than coinsurance.
4Where Hulu programs are released internationally on Disney+.
5HBO Max pays 1.2% of relevant license fees outside the US instead of HBSVOD fixed residual; Peacock is domestic-only.