To save members money and combat the soaring costs of prescription drugs, the union’s Board of Trustees voted last month to award the contract for administration of the Local 237 drug program to the HIP Health Plan of New York.

The change will become effective August 1 and new drug cards will be sent in the mail to all qualifying members prior to that date. The new card is for prescription drugs only, not health insurance.

President Carl Haynes, who announced the change in a letter to members, noted: “The ever-increasing cost of prescription drugs is a national problem which affects all Americans. In this country, the average yearly increase in the price of drugs is in the neighborhood of 20 percent.”

Haynes pointed out that the benefits provided members by the Local 237 Welfare Fund are -- if not the best -- among the best in the entire country.

Joel Sosinsky, assistant to the president, said that Local 237 has probably the most outstanding prescription prescription drug program in the City of New York. “Our co-pays are lower than any other labor organization in the city. We can’t find another welfare fund that has better co-pays.”

Paul Juergensen, director of the welfare fund, said there will be no changes in the co-payments made to pharmacies, or in the annual cap currently in effect for New York City and Long Island members.

The Welfare Fund director said the HIP pharmacy network will maintain the same co-pays as previously provided. “If you notice a change in the co-payment,” Juergensen said, “call 1-888-447-8175 while you are still at the pharmacy.”

He added that a member can also call this number to locate a new participating pharmacy in his or her area.

“Members who use our mail order program, which provides up to a 90-day supply of prescription drugs with a zero co-payment, will now obtain their pharmaceuticals from Express Scripts, Inc., by filling out forms included with the new prescription drug card,” he said.

Juergensen pointed out that the union will continue to offer five brand name drugs (Lipitor, Zyrtec, Celebrex, Prevacid and Actonel) with no co-payment. He noted, however, that Claritin and Claritin D are now available over-the-counter and are no longer covered by the drug plan.

“In addition, members must continue to use their regular health insurance cards for diabetic medications under the 1994 New York State Mandate,” the welfare fund director pointed out.

“Also, all members covered under the New York City contract will continue to use the green and white NPA drug card that has been in effect since July 1, 2001, to obtain psychotropic, injectable, chemotherapy and asthma (PICA) medications,” Juergensen said.