Uaw Retiree Medical Benefits Trust

What it reported doing in 2024

The trust is governed by an 11-person committee comprised of six independent members and five members appointed by the uaw. Additional subcommittees exist for plan administration, investment, and audit. All committee members and trust staff adhere to a strict code of ethics. The purpose of the trust is to serve as a source for retiree healthcare coverage for its members. Separate trust accounts are maintained for each auto plan (gm, ford, and chrysler) from which benefits are paid. When the trust launched in january 2010, it became the largest non-governmental purchaser of retiree healthcare in the united states, providing healthcare benefits to more than 860,000 people. In 2024, the trust provided coverage for over 535,000 members. The trust continues to serve its mission of providing healthcare benefits to retirees and reviews the benefit design each year to make any adjustments necessary. In 2024, the trust paid approximately $3.3 billion providing healthcare for its retirees and dependents, including filling nearly 15.5 million prescriptions for members during the plan year. Since its launch, the trust has made great strides in finding ways to control costs, while improving healthcare benefits. For 2024, the trust was pleased to lower medical deductibles, copays for primary care physician (pcp) and specialist office visits and urgent care, as well as tier 1 and 2 prescription drug copays. Additionally, the trust eliminated in-network coinsurance for its medical plans, added coverage for dental implants, and added coverage for pcp and specialist office visits for members in the blue cross traditional care network (tcn) plan. For 2024, the annual allowance for the over-the-counter (otc) benefit was increased to $200 per member. The benefit was expanded as an offering to all trust members regardless of their healthplan. The otc benefit also was enhanced in 2024 to include the option for members to purchase approved health and wellness products at thousands of retailers who participate in the otc network. The trust membership is geographically and demographically diverse. The trust maintains robust communication with membership in order to operate in a transparent fashion. The goal is to keep beneficiaries informed on the trust activities, as well as the benefits provided by the trust. The trust and carriers sent a series of communications to members regarding 2024 and 2025 enrollment and plan offerings. Retiree health care connect, the call center for trust members, handled more than 250,000 calls, from members and union benefit representatives, in 2024. A series of printed mailings were distributed by the trust to more than 370,000 contract-holder participants in 2024. Additional mailings throughout the year updated the trust membership on benefit changes and information regarding the trust's financial position. Trust partners also communicated directly with members, on behalf of the trust, regarding benefits, prevention, chronic conditions and disease management where appropriate. Additionally, members with specific gaps in care were sent communications encouraging them to take preventive measures to manage their condition(s), improve their health status, and engage with their primary care physician. The trust continues to leverage communication formats to complement mailings, including the trust-branded website (www.uawtrust.org) and videos. Because of its past success, the team also held virtual sessions-via zoom and dial-in calls-to inform members of the enhancements of the trust otc benefit in january 2024. The team hosted 17 sessions listened to by nearly 4,200 members. The trust also hosted webinars for annual benefit changes in august 2024. The team hosted 16 sessions listened to by nearly 4,200 members. For the annual benefit change season, the member experience team traveled to in-person retiree meetings. The team attended a total of 195 retiree meetings in the fall of 2024.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 5.8%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 19.07; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0.2%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -17.5% per year; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 9th percentile among comparable filings