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The
rising cost of health care insurance. It is virtually impossible to find a Union and an Employer who are engaged in the collective bargaining process where health care is not an issue. Insurance premiums are rising faster than the cost of living or wage increases. Employers in both the public and private sectors are screaming for relief from premimums that, in some cases, are in excess of $1,600.00 per month. Employers look for an easy way out. Shift the cost of the health care to the employees and have them pay. MAP does not believe that this is the solution. All this does is shift costs, it does nothing to reduce or help control future costs. Any Union that agrees to share premiums or pay high deductibles and co-pays without first exhausting all other avenues, is also taking the easy way out. MAP decided a long time ago, to be proactive and not reactive to this issue. Several years ago, MAP along with the other Unions in the Michigan Association of Police Organizations, formed the Coalition of Public Safety Health and Welfare Trust (COPS Trust). This plan offers both an affordable and yet high quality health care plan that exceeds in many areas Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan. Many MAP members and their families currently enjoy the coverage of the COPS Trust. At the same time, their employers are smiling over the cheaper rates. Unfortunately, as good as the COPS Trust is, it did not work everywhere. In response to those areas of the membership where COPS Trust did not work as a viable alternative, MAP helped create another health and welfare trust known as the Michigan Employee Trust (MET). Like the COPS Trust, it is a fully insured plan, backed by the Alliance Health and Life Insurance Company, a division of Health Alliance Plan. It is a nation wide PPO similar to Community Blue of the Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan and COPS Trust. However, it has a higher level of benefits than the COPS Trust and Community Blue 1 with a price that is significantly below market. Think about it. If there ever was a "win-win" situation this has to be it. Improve health care coverage for the member while at the same time rolling back the insurance premium to price levels, that in some cases, employers have not seen for five years! To be sure reform, true long-range reform, will not come unless those in Congress wake up to the realization that the United States is rapidly approaching the time when health care will be rationed in this country. Until that occurs, MAP will continue to do everything it can, explore every option to resist shifting the costs of health care to the employee. Check out both the COPS Trust and the MET Trust to see if it works for your organization.
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