Health & Welfare
Medical
Health Plan Options
Health Plan Options
See Choosing Your Health Plan or download Health Plan Benefits at a Glance for information regarding the medical and dental plans available in your area.
Active Plan Coverage
The Active Plan is offered in all jurisdictions by Labor Agreement or to Non-Bargaining plan participants.
Active Plan Coverage Includes:
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Prescription
- Life Insurance & AD&D
- Coverage for Eligible Dependents is included with the Active Plan
Bronze Plan Coverage
The Bronze Plan is offered as follows:
- 1st & 2nd Period Apprentices in California
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Period Apprentices in Nevada
- Specific Classifications of Shop Agreements
- Drywall Agreements in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah
- Your base pay rate may be higher by electing the Bronze Plan according to the Labor Agreement.
Bronze Coverage includes:
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Prescription
- Life Insurance and AD&D
- Dependent coverage is offered as an option with a monthly premium payment required.
- Single - $0
- Single +1 - $150
- Family - $250
Choosing Your Health Plan
When you are choosing our health plan and adding dependents you should consider the following:
The Kaiser Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) and the Independence Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) provide comprehensive medical coverage but under different structures.
Independence PPO:
Independence maintains a nationwide network of providers and your dependents will likely be able to get care in other areas and stay in the network.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
The HMO will only cover services within a defined service area. If your dependent resides outside the service area the HMO may only cover verified emergency services.
Independence PPO:
Yes, you have that freedom and flexibility to go out of network but you will be responsible for higher out of pocket costs including a $500 deductible for the Active Plan and a $10,000 deductible for the Bronze Plan and 50% of the allowable charge.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
No. HMOs maintain a closed network, unless you have an emergency out of the service area.
Independence PPO:
Independence maintains a nationwide network of providers and your dependents will likely be able to get care in other areas and stay in the network.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only)
The HMO will only cover services within a defined service area. If your dependent resides outside the service area the HMO may only cover verified emergency services.
Independence PPO:
No.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
Yes.
Independence PPO:
For the Active Plan, you will pay a specific co-pay amount per service with no annual deductible.
For the Bronze Plan, once your deductible is met, you will pay your coinsurance amount which is a percentage of the amount negotiated between the provider and Independence.
Your annual deductible and co-insurance amount will depend on your PPO Plan.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
You will owe the specified co-pay amount per service.
Independence PPO:
The PPO plans are paired with prescription benefits through Express Scripts.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
Medications are covered through the Kaiser network for those on the HMO.
Independence PPO:
The PPO plan will coordinate benefits according to which plan is "primary." See the SPD for details on the "Birthday Rule" for dependent coverage.
Kaiser HMO (CA and CO only):
The HMO is usually considered to be the primary plan, regardless of which participant is the primary member. An HMO plan will not coordinate benefits with other plans.
You can change your medical or dental plan at any time as long as you have been enrolled on your current plan for 1 year unless you are in the first year of Apprenticeship.