Health Care

Q. Should I sign the company's healthcare form?
A. Several members have asked for guidance with respect to an “Oak Harbor Freight Lines Employee Health Care Enrollment Form, Group Number: 020189,” which the company is requesting employees to sign.  In particular, they want to make sure that the company will not argue that signing the form waives the Union’s ULP regarding health benefits or suggests that the Union has agreed to the company plan. As we read it, the Form is routine and is not designed to have any effect, one way or the other, on the parties’ pending dispute regarding health benefits. In particular, we are assuming that the company does not intend to argue that signing the Form waives the Union’s ULP or means that the Union has agreed to the company plan. In short, we see the Form as a bureaucratic necessity to get covered under the only plans the company is currently offering, and nothing more. The Company has been informed that the signing of the form does not constitute waiver of the Union's position on the ulp regarding the Company's unilateral change from the Teamsters Health Plan. On the basis of the above, go ahead and sign the Form.

Furthermore, if you incur any out-of-pocket expenses while using the company’s plan keep copies of your receipts. This will allow you to apply for reimbursement once the pending dispute regarding health benefits is resolved.



Q. What part of the Company healthcare is substandard?
A.

1. The company Plan is controlled by the Company. The company can change benefits, deductibles, co-pays, out of pocket maximums or anything else, to any amount, at any time.
2. One of the more important differences is that there will be no retiree coverage under the company
   plan.  When you retire you will have to pay full rate and the current retirees will be forced to pay the full rate for coverage they once had.
3. Additionally, the premium price for a family, the calendar year deductible, the out-of-pocket co-insurance, the office visit pricing, the prescription co-pays, and the coverage of pre-existing conditions are better for employees under the Teamsters plans according to the most
   recent analysis.
4. For a complete side-by-side analysis click here.
5. To watch a video on OHFL’s plan versus the Teamsters plan click here.

Q. Does the company’s health plan include coverage for the whole family or employee only?  Is dental and vision also included?
A. The company’s plan will cover the entire family with medical, dental and vision.

Q. How many hours will be required to qualify for the company plan they are trying to shove off on us?  Both driver and dock worker please.
A. The qualifier for H&W coverage under the company plan will be the same as in the Labor Agreement.  40 hours for drivers and 80 hours for dock workers.