Health

Angela Neal, a member of the Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE), AFT/AFSCME Local 300, had little trouble negotiating a fair price for a car and other kinds of consumer bargaining didn't bother her either. But when the social worker tried to lower her medical bill debt the going got rough.

Fortunately, as a union member, Neal had Union Plus in her corner, offering her just what she needed: an advocate to help her negotiate lower medical bills.

"Trying to lower the debt from medical expenses is so hard," explains Neal. "Some of the bill people can be harsh. They want to get every penny from you as soon as possible, but you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.Union Plus' medical bill negotiator helped knock off as much as 50 percent off of some of my medical bills."

Reducing medical debt can be daunting. Neal remembers how every time she saw the medical bills piled on her kitchen table, she was filled with dread, knowing that she alone was responsible for the balances and that those balances were not going to be reduced without a lot of effort.

Armed with her cell phone, a positive attitude and the stack of bills, Neal diligently contacted the billing offices of her physician and labs asking for their help in lowering her debt and coming up with a manageable payment schedule. She hung up each time feeling discouraged and overwhelmed.

Dealing with the stress of mounting bills, coping with an ongoing health condition, and working full-time to provide critical social services to families in need was a lot for Neal to handle. She isn't alone. A report by the Commonwealth Fund found that 41 percent of Americans of working age have medical bill problems or are paying off medical debt.

Neal found hope when a co-worker encouraged her to check out the Union Plus Medical Bill Negotiating Service. When she clicked on UnionPlus.org/BillNegotiator, Neal was thrilled to see that it was easy to sign up for the free service. To qualify for help, she only needed to be an active or retired union member with at least one outstanding unreimbursed medical expense of at least $400.

"It was nice knowing that someone was working for me just because I am a union member. I didn't realize this union benefit existed, but I'm so glad it does. It put me in a much better position to pay off my medical bills," says Neal, who has been a member of KOSE Local 300 since 2010.

"It's a big help when someone is there to help you negotiate medical debt. It was a real blessing," says Neal.

Ken Jones, a pump and still operator at a Coke (fuel) plant and United Steelworkers (USW) Local 09-12136 member from Birmingham, AL, is one of two lucky $5,000 winners of the Union Plus “What Kind of Union Car Are You?” Labor Day Sweepstakes.

Jones, who claims that he never wins anything, could not have been more surprised to learn he won the prize money for simply completing a short quiz which revealed what his ideal union-made car personality type is. Nearly 25,000 sweepstakes entries were received between August 1 and September 5, and fortunately for Jones, the odds were in his favor.

“I follow Union Plus on Facebook since I’m a rep with my union and want to stay up-to-date with all the benefits, and that’s where I saw some information about the contest. I thought I wasn’t going to win, but just for kicks I entered,” he recalled.

Jones, who currently drives a union-made vehicle made in Topeka, Kansas, says he feels strongly about buying American-made and union-made. When he learned that his ideal union-made car personality is a Cadillac CTS, he had a comical reaction.

“Well, I thought it was kind of neat. Those cars are really sharp automobiles, and if I only had enough money to buy a Cadillac CTS, I certainly would get one!” he laughed. “It definitely matches my car type — the size of it, and the little bit of a sporty look to it.”

Due to his role with his local, Jones said he is very familiar with the benefit programs Union Plus offers. He plans to use the Mortgage and Auto Buying Programs in the future, and his oldest daughter was awarded a Union Plus $1,000 scholarship a couple of years ago. He also tells his fellow union members about opportunities to save with Union Plus.

“I tell the guys I work with that being a union member has many benefits with Union Plus. You have the wireless discounts, the Mortgage Program, discounts on tires, the insurance programs. There’s quite a long list. Not only does it pay to belong to be part of the union, but with this sweepstakes, it really pays to belong!” Jones said.

When asked about what he plans to do with the $5,000, Jones told Union Plus that he plans to spend some of it on his wife and daughters, and put the remainder into savings.

The prize money for this contest was provided by TrueCar, the provider of the Union Plus Auto Buying Service. Union members looking for a great deal on a vehicle save an average of $3,279 off MSRP and receive special rebates for buying union-made. Click here to learn more!