End of the Semester Health Care Updates
- UFCT 1460 Secretary Sarah Wilkins
- May 13
- 2 min read
Thanks to the successful efforts of our Union, the other campus unions, and the faculty Senate in pushing back against the cuts administration made to the High Deductible Health Care Plan for FT and CCE members, we won back most of what management tried to take away! They may claim that they added the HRA due to “feedback,” (Benefits email of May 11th) but it was due to the organizing efforts of you and members like you that they were forced to make amends for the cuts they put into place that violated our CBA! While it is largely “resolved” for 2026, this issue is ongoing. There is little doubt they will try to make cuts again for 2027, so stay tuned and stay engaged!!
If this is an issue that you are passionate about, please get in touch with the Health Care Working Group (HCWG)--a committee of members like you who are spearheading our efforts regarding Health Care issues! To get involved, please participate in the HCWG’s Health Care survey (click here!). This will help us gather specific information about the needs of ALL our members, whether you’re currently on a Pratt plan or not, and give you the option to get more active on this issue!
We are also engaging in good faith in the “Benefits working group” that was established by the MOA. However we are extremely disappointed with how it is being run by management so far, as has been communicated to them. The committee has yet to address why health benefits are a primary and necessary adjustment lever to manage the Institute's budgetary concerns. The framework is not in accord with what we communicated to management last semester: actions that harm people’s health, that violate CBAs and principles of shared governance, and that are designed in a regressive way are unacceptable to us. Without a serious change of course, UFCT 1460 along with the Academic Senate will withdraw our participation from this committee.
Health Care Reminders:
If you are FT or CCE and are on the CIGNA HDHP, you have an Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to cover medical co-insurance costs and pharmacy co-pays after you meet your deductible. The HRAs are active, fully funded, and ready for use – set up your HRA and get your money! Go to the Medical & Dental page on OnePratt for more information from HR.
Speaking of more information from HR – we are continuing to push them to provide members with more communication and support, which they claim is forthcoming (but they’ve been saying that for a while now). So if you are having any Insurance issues, please contact Benefits directly (benefits at pratt.edu), and cc Secretary Sarah Wilkins (secretary at ufct1460.org), so we know what problems are still arising for members.