The PSA’s best kept Membership Secret. Are you missing out?

You may not be aware but as part of your PSA union membership, you and your whānau are entitled to supplementary healthcare created by your Union and designed to benefit you in everyday life – not just when you’re sick. Some of your fellow PSA Members have been entitled to this since the establishment of the “Education Benevolent Society back in 1963.

In the beginning it was only available to a small percentage of PSA members who worked within the Education sector, hence the name, but to The PSA and the 5 Education Unions that established it, what was important was that they had created a not-for-profit co-operative that supported their members and their family’s health and wellbeing, by providing them with access to high quality and affordable day-to-day health insurance plans.

"HealthCarePlus is different because it was established by workers, for workers and it continues to serve union members everywhere. PSA is proud to have been associated with it for so many years. Our Members have benefited from affordable, supplementary healthcare for themselves and their families and we stand by the products on offer at HealthCarePlus, and the work of their great team.”

Erin Polaczuk, PSA National Secretary

It is almost 58 years later and LITTLE has changed with that vision. Rather than existing to generate private profits for shareholders, we’re here to create the greatest possible value for our Members.

Our cover is more generous - with less of the usual barriers and exclusions. It’s designed to maximise the benefits paid to you, not minimise them. And once you’re a member - you and your family can enjoy the benefits, not just for the rest of your union membership, but for the rest of your life.

"As a Union owned Co-Operative we continue to have Benevolence and strong Union Values entrenched in our DNA, it is who we are."

John Seed, CE HealthCarePlus

But over these years what has changed?

When we were established in 1963 we were called the “Education Benevolent Society” and many of our senior Members still call us “EBS”. For you as a PSA Member, what happened in 2016 is probably the most important change, as the Society changed who is entitled to become a Member of HealthCarePlus.

In 2016 the PSA on behalf of its Members, applied to the Board of HealthCarePlus to allow ALL PSA Members to be eligible to join HealthCarePlus. This request was approved so all PSA Members and their families are now entitled to become HealthCarePlus Members, and not only those associated with the education sector. As a result of this change and to better reflect our new increased eligibility including all Members of the PSA, the Board renamed us HealthCarePlus.

And again in 2018 there was more change for the good. The Board of HealthCarePlus undertook a fundamental review of the organisation and decided to enter into a partnership with UniMed a larger but also Union Owned not-for-profit Health Insurer.

UniMed is now responsible for managing our range of day-to-day health insurance plans.

To find out what membership of HealthCarePlus entitles you and your family, click on the link below