Baltimore - D.C. Metro Building Trades Council
The Baltimore-DC Building Trades Council urges members of the Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) workgroup to consider the unique needs of building trades unions and their jointly administered multiemployer health plans in any future decision making. Any decision should be evaluated on two questions: Will this improve members’ access to necessary medicines and pharmacies? Will it lower, not merely shift, the total cost borne by union health plans and contributing contractors?
For union members, higher health plan costs can affect bargaining priorities, the level of benefits available to families, eligibility rules, and the ability of contractors to sustain good jobs. Our health and welfare funds are an important part of the employer sponsored insurance system that covers more than 3 million people across the state. Ours is unique in that many of our members’ work may be seasonal, project base or involve multiple contributing employers.
Specialty medications can create especially severe budget pressure because a small number of high-cost claims may consume a disproportionate share of a fund’s pharmacy budget. This dynamic is particularly difficult for multiemployer plans, which must maintain stable benefits for workers across many contractors and changing job sites. Rising drug costs can translate into higher negotiated contribution requirements, higher member cost-sharing, narrower formularies, or reduced resources for other health benefits.
The Building and Construction Trades health and welfare funds serve members who work for numerous signatory contractors over the course of a year. We remind the PBM workgroup that a one size fits all policy can unintentionally create new costs or fees for union members and working families across Maryland. It is imperative that any decisions from this workgroup consider skilled trades union members and their working families. Union healthcare and prescription plans should be a benefit to our members, not a burden.
Ray Baker
Maryland Director
