Health Benefits

It is a principle for 1199SEIU that every healthcare worker should have full healthcare benefits. In fact, we believe that every human being should have quality health care as a birthright. We work towards the day when we have universal health care as a national entitlement. Until that day comes, we work to achieve what we can through collective bargaining for our members and our families.

More than 200,000 members of 1199SEIU have won comprehensive healthcare coverage—hospitalization, doctor's visits, dental and vision care, prescription drugs, etc.—with no or minimal out-of-pocket expenses for themselves and their families. In all, the Funds cover more than 400,000 lives.

New York City-area members, mainly hospital and nursing home workers, are covered by contracts with the League of Voluntary Hospitals, the Greater New York Health Care Facilities Association, and independent institutions whose contracts are modeled on these group contracts. Visit the 1199SEIU Family of Funds website for more information on health benefits won with these contracts.

Since 1998, 15 former SEIU healthcare Locals have merged with 1199. Because of their own histories, bargaining strength and regional conditions, many of these members have not yet achieved comprehensive care with no out-of-pocket costs. But this remains the strategic goal for our entire Union.