For over a decade, WEX has been a steadfast partner to the Taft-Hartley community, providing Union Funds with the intelligent infrastructure needed to manage Members’ hard-earned benefits. Today, this partnership is critical as Trustees face a difficult tradeoff: absorb skyrocketing GLP-1 costs exceeding $1,000 per Member monthly or risk damaging trust by cutting the benefit entirely.
However, providing transformative care doesn’t have to be an ‘all or nothing’ approach. WEX’s new specialized solution enables Funds to carve out GLP-1 coverage into a defined-contribution Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). This model puts power back in the hands of Trustees, protecting the core medical plan from unpredictable utilization and premium inflation. By customizing funding and reimbursement rules, Funds gain pricing clarity while ensuring Members have a reliable safety net for their health journeys.
“No organization should have to choose between Member access and fiscal responsibility,” says Keith Lindberg, WEX’s Taft-Hartley expert with 30 years of labor market experience. “This approach neutralizes financial risk for the Fund office while ensuring Members have the resources to balance physical wellbeing with financial security.”
Beyond GLP-1s, WEX operates as the intelligent infrastructure powering the full spectrum of Union benefits, including HRAs, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs.) By leveraging a unified, cloud-based ecosystem, including white-labeled mobile apps and secure debit cards, Fund offices can reduce their own administrative burden, while ensuring their Members can access their funds instantly.
In an era of shifting health policies, WEX remains committed to the “Union Way.” We don’t just provide technology – we provide the operational liberation and financial stewardship required to protect the Fund’s collective assets, ensuring that every benefit offered today strengthens the Member’s future.
The WEX GLP-1 HRA is available now for employers, partners, brokers, and consultants looking to modernize their weight-management benefit strategy. To learn more, visit here.
