Union Case Study | Everside Health

Case Study

Local 440
Indianapolis, IN

Providing affordable and accessible healthcare for union members is one of the most important roles Activate by Everside Health plays in transforming American healthcare. Just one example of this transformation can be seen with the members of UA Local 440—a union of plumbers, pipefitters, and HVACR service technicians in the Indianapolis, IN area.

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Positive Impact for Clients and Workforce

Through a partnership beginning in 2015, local 440 and its 2,300 members—in addition to another 1,700 dependents—have saved over $11M in healthcare costs, including $1M in out-of-pocket expenses. With no copays and no outof-pocket expenses for visiting their local health center, these families avoid the stress and decision-making that comes with finding affordable, necessary healthcare that’s close to home.

In addition to financial savings, members have seen substantial improvements to health. Over the life of the partnership with Activate by Everside Health, 68% of members and dependents with hypertension have successfully lowered their blood pressure. Numerous diabetes and pre-diabetes diagnoses have been made possible thanks to annual physicals, as well as a patient who received a timely diagnosis of prostate cancer and has since received successful treatment.

$ 0 M

Saved in healthcare costs- including $1M out-of-pocket

0 %

of hypertensive patients lowered blood pressure

onsite prescriptions+ after-hours availability

The Challenge

Providing a healthcare option for union members and dependents that featured flexible hours

Designing a benefit and marketing plan that would prove attractive to union members—many of whom had not received a physical in 15 years

Reducing the cost trend of the union’s health and welfare fund and delivering savings back to union families

Our Solution

Local 440 can trace its chartering back to 1903, which means it needed a healthcare partner that understood unions—and the needs of union members—well. They make up one of more than 35 union partners and 50,000 members nationwide that use Activate by Everside for patient-centered, cost-saving care.

One benefit to their partnership with Activate by Everside includes flexible, after-hours appointments—meaning union members who work non-traditional hours can still receive care when it works for them. All appointments are also a minimum of 30 minutes, up to an hour or more, leaving time for members to ask health-related questions, get wellness advice, and establish a more trusting relationship with their provider.

Access to tobacco cessation, health and wellness coaching, and COVID-19 guidance

Hour-long appointment times

Close to union HQ as an alternative to area care

In addition to preventive and urgent care, the union health center provides flu shots, wellness services like tobacco cessation, and COVID-19 protocols that are updated real-time with CDC and other federal guidelines.

The health center is conveniently located close to union headquarters and serves as an alternative and supplement to area providers. Members can receive referrals to specialist care and have access to 75 of the most common onsite prescriptions at no cost.

“It’s a neat thing, because not only have we gotten to know [Dr. Melita Schuster] as our physician, but also on a personal basis. With the brotherhood and local union, we’ve always looked at everybody as a family.”

Ron Hutchinson, union member

“Our current healthcare system is not healthcare—I call it sick care. The [Activate by Everside] model takes us back to the way medicine should be practiced.”

Dr. Melita Schuster, Everside Provider

Local 440Indianapolis, IN