When you ask a union member what the top benefit of membership is, chances are they will talk about the health care.

“Before I came into the union, I had a job where the insurance got cut and it was a very difficult situation because I have a wife and children that rely on my benefits, so my initial reason to get into the union was benefits to take care of my family,” said Alfonso Colone, a member of Local 475 in New Jersey.

In terms of medical insurance, 92 percent of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68 percent of non-union workers.

Insurance plans from the union rarely change, which makes the benefits extremely stable. This means members can stay with healthcare providers they have built trusted relationships with and not have to hunt for a new doctor every year or every other year.

Affordable, comprehensive medical care is available to all members of the HVAC union and their families through a wide-ranging plan from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Benefits include:

• No deductible for members.
• Primary care, specialist and urgent care co-pays are $15. (Compared to private sector workers can pay $35 for a primary care visit, $60 for a specialist or $75 for urgent care, if not more, depending on the plan.)
• 100 percent coverage for maternity care after the first $15 co-pay.
• 100 percent coverage for preventative care.
• 100 percent coverage for lab diagnostics and radiology.
• 100 percent hospitalization coverage and $50 co-pay for the emergency room. (Compared to private sector workers can pay $250 or more, depending on the plan.)
• Individual out-of-pocket maximum is $3,600 and family out-of-pocket maximum is $7,200.

The union medical plan is worth more than $25,000 and is included in the union members salary and benefits package, there is no additional deduction taken from the worker’s paychecks. Members do not pay deductibles.

Additional benefits from the HVAC unions include dental care, including orthodontia, chiropractic services and vision that includes radial keratotomy and surgical procedures to correct myopia or hyperopia.

Reach out to your Local Organizer for more detailed information about medical benefits and how valuable they are to you and your family.