UNITE HERE Local 5 Expands Campaign with Case Studies of Municipalities That Transitioned to Self-Funded Health Insurance

Website by UNITE HERE Local 5 is expanded to include case studies of county and private employers that successfully used self-funded health insurance to manage rising healthcare costs.

News Release from UNITE HERE Local 5

HONOLULU--UNITE HERE Local 5 is expanding its campaign to promote the potential benefits of self-funded health insurance with county and private employers. UNITE HERE Local 5 is attending municipal public meetings and speaking directly with elected policymakers. In addition to research, UNITE HERE Local 5 will provide testimony about its direct experience negotiating premium rates with a Kaiser Permanente HMO plan and self-funded health plans through the Local 5 employer-union trust fund. The Local 5 trust fund serves 11,000 union members and their dependents. Public officials can learn how their peers successfully navigated obstacles and transitioned to self-funded insurance.

UNITE HERE Local 5’s website, www.SelfInsuranceCaseStudy.org, was initially focused on Stanislaus County, CA and its successful transition to self-funded health insurance. The website has been updated with information from Orange County, California, Hennepin County, Minnesota, Oliver’s Market in California and Freehold Township, New Jersey. These employers reported saving millions of dollars with self-funded health insurance and enjoyed the benefits of a self-funded program, such as plan control and improved cash flow.

UNITE HERE Local 5 also invites interested parties to visit www.SelfInsuranceCaseStudy.org, or to contact Local 5 to learn more about its experience negotiating with Kaiser Permanente HMO and designing a viable self-funded medical plan. Contact information for public officials and entities with a role in the case studies is provided in the website.

About Unite Here Local 5 – Local 5 is the Hawaii-based branch of the UNITE HERE union, which represents over 250,000 North American members, with a tradition of consumer advocacy.

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