On July 1, 2007, the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel became the sixth hotel to provide medical and dental benefits to their unionized employees through the ILWU Health and Welfare Trust Fund. There are about 220 ILWU members employed at the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel which is known as the “Most Hawaiian Hotel in the State of Hawaii.” The hotel achieved this recognition due in part to a unique program where all employees receive ongoing education on Hawaiian culture and values.
The addition of the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel will mean almost 2,900 ILWU members will be covered by the fund. The Hyatt Regency Maui, the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island, and the Grand Hyatt Kauai were the first ILWU hotels to join the Health and Welfare Trust fund in January 2005. Two years later, in January and February 2007, the Four Seasons Resorts Lanai and Castle & Cooke Resorts Lanai joined the fund.
Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel employees have the choice of the Kaiser Health Maintenance Plan or the Comprehensive Medical Plan administered by HMA, Inc. The Comprehensive Medical Plan is the traditional pay-as-you-go insurance. You choose a doctor; you pay for part of the doctor’s bill; and the plan pays for part of the bill.
Almost all pay-as-you-go health insurance plans work the same way. You save the most money by choosing doctors who agree to work with the plan. These are called “participating providers.” If you choose doctors who are not part of the plan, your medical bills will be much higher. Over a year’s time, you could end up paying hundreds and even thousands of dollars more in medical expense.
With pay-as-you-go insurance, you are the one making the decisions about your healthcare. This requires more effort on your part to manage your medical costs. You will need to know about participating providers, what services are covered, and when you need advance approvals. You will need to submit claims for payments, keep records, and do some paper work.
If you have any questions about the Comprehensive Medical Plan, call the HMA Health Services Department. Their toll free number is 1-866-377-3977. Oahu can call 951-4621.
If you want someone else to do all the work for you, then consider joining the Kaiser plan. The Kaiser plan requires the least effort on your part and can save you the most money. There are no forms to fill out and no choices to make, because all of your medical care must come through a Kaiser Clinic or Hospital.
For help with the Kaiser Plan, call their Customer Service Center call toll free 1-800-966- 5955. Oahu can call 432-5955. ◆
Maui Pine Cannery workers qualify for benefits
Laid off workers from Maui Pineapple Company’s Kahului Cannery are eligible to receive a wide range of job assistance from the federal government. The ILWU was successful in requesting these benefits under the Trade Act of 1974, which provides help to workers who lose their jobs because of foreign imports and additional benefits for workers over the age of 50.
An investigation by the US Department of Labor found a direct link between increasing imports of canned pineapple and declining sales and employment at the Maui Pineapple Cannery.
“The investigation revealed that employment, sales and production at the subject firm declined in 2006 compared with 2005 and in January through April 2007 compared with the same period in 2006.
“The Department of Labor surveyed the subject firm’s major declining customers regarding their purchases of canned pineapple fruit in 2005 through April 2007. The survey revealed increases in import purchases during the period under investigation.”
The US Department of Labor
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