Enhancing Labor Fund Performance with Advanced Primary Care Solutions

More than 14 million U.S. workers belong to a labor union, accounting for roughly 10% of the American workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

These skilled workers build infrastructure and ensure essential services function safely and efficiently. To keep members healthy, productive, and free from injury, unions and labor or Taft-Hartley funds offer comprehensive health benefits that promote preventive care and long-term well-being.

Labor and Taft-Hartley plans provide affordable, high-quality benefits for union members while maintaining financial sustainability for both workers and employers. Advanced primary care (APC) programs further enhance fund performance by shifting from reactive, high-cost treatments to proactive care, leading to long-term financial sustainability and a better experience for union members. 

Direct Cost Savings

Advanced primary care helps unions save money by reducing claims and keeping members healthy and on the job. Rather than waiting for health problems to grow worse and become more expensive, APC focuses on prevention and better care coordination.

APC prioritizes regular check-ups, screenings and proactive management of chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Addressing issues early prevents expensive emergency visits, hospitalizations and ongoing specialist care.

For example, a member with Type 2 diabetes experiences medical costs 2.6 times higher than their non-diabetic peers. But with ongoing management and personalized support, members can reverse the condition and reduce costs along the way. 

Additionally, advanced primary care is built as a comprehensive care model that incorporates mental healthcare, health coaching, and more — even integrating with or cooperating with the occupational health services offered by labor organizations or their members' employers.

Unions who use Marathon Health’s APC model save an average of $1,800 per employee per year, while reducing ER costs by 42%. Lower costs allow unions to reinvest their savings in new member benefits without cutting back on services or raising member dues.

Enhanced Convenience and Access

APC programs eliminate barriers and make it as seamless as possible for members and their families to get care when they need it—in a variety of convenient ways. Convenient access can also be a game-changer for attracting new talent and retaining your best members. 

Unions can open a dedicated health center at the union hall, or pool resources with other groups and join a network of health centers.  

Rather than waiting several days or weeks in the traditional system, union-sponsored APC programs see a lower patient volume, allowing members to schedule same and next-day appointments. That means members can see a doctor when they need to — not a month later. 

If members know they can access sick care, mental health support, physical therapy and other services when they truly need them, they’re more likely to engage, while avoiding high-cost alternatives like the ER.

Better Outcomes and Productivity

When members feel better, they miss fewer workdays, stay more productive and lower healthcare costs. 

APC programs operate on value-based care agreements, incentivizing providers to improve health outcomes rather than seeing as many members as possible. Traditional healthcare operates on a fee-for-service model, where more visits and treatments equal more money for providers, even when members don’t actually get healthier.

APC providers see a maximum number of patients each day and spend more time with your members, giving them time to build relationships, ask questions and design personalized treatment plans.

Marathon Health uses data to make sure union members get the right support for managing chronic conditions, and it works. Once employees regularly engage with Marathon Health providers, most see real improvements in their health and feel better overall. The data shows 67% of members with at least one high-risk condition have improved their biometric measures.

Strengthened Taft-Hartley Plan Stability

Ultimately, APC helps keep Taft-Hartley plans financially sound while ensuring members can access the quality care they need. By proactively managing benefits, unions enhance the overall efficiency, affordability and effectiveness of Taft-Hartley Plans, securing long-term stability for their members.