Your Seattle Fire Fighters HealthCare Trust
Fire fighters understand that we not only have to take care of ourselves, we also have to look out for each other. That is why, in 2008, our members decided to take charge of our own health care and start the Seattle Fire Fighters HealthCare Trust (SFFHCT). We then teamed up with select health care providers and industry specialists to provide best-in-class health care benefits.
Having our own Trust run by our members allows us to offer fire fighter-specific health care benefits that meet the needs of our unique profession.
Starting a health care trust doesn’t happen every day. We are still just one of a few fire fighter locals in the country running our own show. The benefits we enjoy today are thanks to the guts, vision, and leadership of our members. We are proud of what we have achieved together, and our work continues.
Our Goals
The Trust is managed by an elected board of Trustees who volunteer their time on behalf of the Local 27 members. Every trustee becomes a pro in fire fighter health care benefits and the board works together to:
- Provide customized benefits: Our benefits are tailored to the unique health care needs of fire fighters.
- Offer flexibility: Members can appeal benefit coverage to a board of their peers and potentially customize coverage rules.
- Review annual costs: Projected costs are reviewed every year to determine how much you will contribute to your health care coverage each month.
- Invest and manage our reserves: This will assure a secure health care legacy for all of us.
- Discover and assess new programs and services: The Trust is always looking for new ways to serve members and support their long-term health.
- Support, educate, and communicate with members: The Trust supports members with benefits information and helps them understand their role in the Trust and how we use our benefits can ensure we all stay in top financial shape.
What is Your Role in the Trust?
Being in control of our own health care benefits does not mean we spend our days running an insurance operation. We’re still fire fighters. But we do have a big role to play in making sure the Trust thrives and is there for all of us, from recruitment through retirement.
There are three things we can all do:
- Take good care of ourselves. Getting regular check-ups and screenings, living well, and staying fit all help to prevent illness, injury, and expensive treatments down the road. Healthy members save the Trust money, which means more benefits and a bigger safety net for all of us.
- Use our benefits wisely. Our health care benefits are there for us to use. So complete your AFFME exam, get a massage, buy glasses for your kids. But remember: it’s our money. We pay the bills. So when we’re healthy, let’s use only what we need.
- Look out for each other. Part of building a healthy financial future for the Trust is understanding our benefits, knowing how self funding works, and passing this information on to others. When we get to know our Trust, we can protect it and each other better.
We built the Trust together. Let’s keep it strong.
Tony Savelli discusses the extensive benefits the HealthCare Trust brings to the table.
What is self-funded health care?
When we took charge of managing our health care benefits, we became a self-funded trust. This means that your benefits come entirely from the Trust, not from a big insurance company. We collect monthly contributions from members, and then use those funds to pay bills and claims. Sometimes we have money left over, which we then use to provide even better benefits.
Check out the video below to learn more about how self-funded health care is different from traditional health insurance, and how your Trust works.
Board of Trustees
Dallas Baker, Chair Dallas Baker, Chair
A healthy career followed by a long and happy retirement — this was what motivated me to run for a position with Local 27 and the HealthCare Trust. After several years of working with the City to improve our health care benefits, the decision was made to try to do it on our own. Separating from the City’s health care plan and forming our own HealthCare Trust was a bold move, but the vision of the board and the support of members has helped bring us to where we are now. I am proud to serve as a Trustee and I would encourage others to contribute to this important effort for Seattle Fire Fighters and their families, from the day they are hired through their retirement.
Tony Savelli, Vice Chair Tony Savelli, Vice Chair
When I became a Seattle Fire Fighter, I had been a member of IAFF Local 1352 for a handful of years. I was active in our Union and understood the important role it plays in taking care of fire fighters and our families. I feel very fortunate to have this career, and believe I owe it to the membership to pay it forward so that those who come after me can benefit, as I have from those who were doing the work long before I got here. I really enjoy serving the members of Local 27, and over the years we have had many exciting developments in the services we offer to keep our members and their families healthy. We have saved the lives of at least a handful of Seattle Fire Fighters through aggressive preventative care measures. At the end of the day it’s about making sure we all make it to retirement to spend our golden years with the ones we love.
Steve Lowe Steve Lowe
I am excited to be a part of what has been built by current and past Trustees. This is a very well-run organization that has grown from humble beginnings to become a model for other organizations to follow.
As I have learned in my short time as a Trustee, this is because of the commitment of all of the Trustees. I plan to be a part of where this Trust is going.
Kenny Stuart Kenny Stuart
Serving as a Trustee on the SFFHCT is a rewarding, challenging and important job, and I am proud to be a part of the great team we have managing our HealthCare Trust.
For most of my career, I have dedicated my time and energy to improving the lives of fire fighters and their families because I am guided and inspired by the values of service, sacrifice, and honor.
As a Union leader, I have taken an oath to serve and protect the members of Local 27, and I can think of nothing more important than improving the health and health care of our members and their families.
Tim O’Mahony Tim O’Mahony
When Local 27 first started discussing the possibility of withdrawing from the City’s health care plans and starting our own plan, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I had the feeling that we could do better for our members, and that in the long run we could enhance our health care plans to maximize benefits for Seattle Fire Fighters and their families.
I am very proud of Local 27 members for voting to take this leap of faith all those years ago. And I am so very proud of every member who has stepped forward to serve as a Trustee and help shape a very promising future for all SFFHCT members and families. It has been a long and arduous journey, but we are seeing the fruits of our labors and fulfilling the dreams we had when we started the SFFHCT. I feel fortunate to have served as a Trustee and Chairman for 12 years and to now serve as a Retiree Representative Trustee. This entire journey has been groundbreaking in so many ways, and worth every minute of effort!
Mike Rogers Mike Rogers
It’s an honor to serve as a Trustee for our HealthCare Trust.
I’ve been a fire fighter for 20 years, married to my wife Je-Anne and have 2 adult kids, Dejah and Justus. Healthcare has been a necessity that my family has relied on over many years and I am thankful for the benefits that we have access to.
Local 27’s HeathCare Trust has been responsible in managing and growing the trust funds and benefits to where it is today. I’m excited to be a part of the Trust and to help continue improving the lives of our members for years to come.
Ben Mellon Ben Mellon
As Local 27 members, we enjoy many shared experiences in service to the public, as well as shared benefits that come with being represented by Local 27.
Local 27 leaders began setting the stage for us to manage our own health care over 20 years ago. The decision to go out on our own was not without significant risk, but thanks to the vision of past leaders and the careful planning and execution of this effort, we now have significant influence over our health care (both during our careers and in retirement).
Many of the benefits we enjoy today (paid occupational health screening, retirement medical, financial assistance, etc.) would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of Local 27 and your HealthCare Trust.
I am glad to do my part to help continue the legacy of member focused health and wellness programs. I encourage all members to consider volunteering for the Trust (or some other Local 27 committee). Collective and voluntary effort to improve benefits for us and our families both now and retirement rest in the hands of members who are willing to donate their time for our common benefit.
Matt Jung Matt Jung
As one of the newest Trustees, I am very happy to have the opportunity to serve the members of Local 27 on the board of the Seattle Firefighters Healthcare Trust.
We have an incredible, unique opportunity to shape our benefits now and into the future, with the welfare of our own members as the priority.
I look forward to working with this group to protect our members’ benefits with an eye toward opportunities to improve them and ensure our members are educated about what their benefits are and how to access them.