Ask any American about the state of the economy, and you’re likely to hear the same thing: “It’s not good.”

According to a poll conducted by the Urban Institute late last year, over half of Americans consider themselves financially insecure.

One major driver of this insecurity is the soaring cost of health care. In 1963, health care spending made up just 5% of the U.S. economy. By 2023, it had skyrocketed to 18%, and it’s still rising.

This trend isn’t just unsustainable. It’s actively squeezing the middle class and undermining long-term economic stability.

It’s also causing headaches at the bargaining table, as locals and employers deadlock over insurance costs. Nearly 20 years ago, the IBEW saw the writing on the wall. We created the IBEW/NECA Family Medical Care Plan, a health plan designed by IBEW members for IBEW members. 

Through it, we’re helping employers lower costs and improve benefits by giving them an option outside the big insurance system.

How? No bloated overhead. No millionaire CEOs. Just dedicated members working to serve our membership.

The FMCP offers a wide range of high-quality programs and options, dealing with not only physical care but also issues like mental health and addiction.

The plan’s leadership and staff are committed to operating with a positive cash flow and keeping premiums well below the industry average.

The FMCP covers more than 190 IBEW locals and 450 employers. We’re growing every year, delivering real economic security to members across the U.S.

Since we started it, we have added or improved benefits 135 times. And we have never cut them.

Although the plan started in the IBEW’s Construction branch, it has spread to other branches. And the more members join, the more powerful the plan gets.

If you are a member of the FMCP, visit nifmcp.com to explore all the health care options available to you, as we continually add more options each year.

And if you’re not a member yet, talk to your business manager. Have them reach out to us. Let’s talk about how to bring the FMCP to your local and start protecting what matters most: our health, our families and our union future.