Apparently, some people out there believe that updating the Fund about changes in their insurance status—like a divorce, a new dependent, or a child who’s aged out—is optional.
Optional! Like extra guac. Or pants on a Zoom call. Or, you know, showing up a Benefit Funds educational meeting or a Local 697 membership meeting.
Let me be absolutely clear: it is not optional.
If you don’t update us, we don’t pay the claim. Simple as that.
And if we do pay the claim because you didn’t update us—well, congratulations! You didn’t just forget. You’ve now wandered into a magical new world called insurance fraud, where the prizes may include legal consequences, getting kicked out of the Plan and a deep, burning shame.
Because here’s the thing: failing to tell us about a major change while continuing to let the Fund pay out on that false info? That’s not an “Oops, my bad.” That’s you stealing from your fellow members. Which means you are not the plucky underdog in a rom-com. You’re the villain. The kind of person who pretends their kids don’t have health insurance under your ex’s plan. You’re not slick. You’re not clever. You’re just... terrible.
And for those saying, “But I’m divorced, and I don’t want to talk to my ex!”—well, I’ve got news for you: we don’t care. We didn’t marry them. You did. That was your decision, and—judging by how things ended—not your best one. Honestly, it’s likely they feel the same about you. So please don’t drag us into your emotional Cold War. This is a health plan, not couple’s therapy.
Here’s the bottom line: don’t make your personal mess our professional problem.
Because if you do, we may have a problem. And if you fail to notify us in advance, you could have a very big one. A legally problematic, potentially prosecutable one.
So do the right thing: Tell us what changed. Don’t be that person.
Seriously—Update Your Info.
Look, we’ve said this before. Like in both the June and July newsletters. In fact, we’ve said it so many times that this newsletter is starting to feel less like a communication tool and more like a cry for help.
So, let’s make this simple:
Update your information. Tell us what changed. Don’t be that person.
Because no one—no one—wants to be the star of our next “What Not To Do” training video. Trust me, the soundtrack is just me sighing loudly for three straight minutes.
And honestly? I’m exhausted. I’m sick and tired of writing about this. And again, the loyal readers—the ones who actually read, follow the rules, and grasp the concept of “cause and effect”—are tired of seeing it, too.
The only people not tired of it are the same handful still forgetting to tell us they got divorced, or added a dependent, as if that’s now classified intelligence.
These people actually seem to believe that if they just ignore this long enough, it’ll become invisible. Like a toddler playing hide-and-seek by standing in the middle of the room with their hands over their eyes.
Come on. Let’s be clear: It’s not that these individuals can’t read. They can.
It’s not that they can’t carve out five minutes to take care of this. They absolutely can.
They just… don’t want to.
And let’s be brutally honest—if someone can’t be bothered to update basic info that affects their immediate family’s health coverage, why on earth would you believe they care one bit about their extended family—their brothers and sisters in this Local?
Because when someone lets a claim go through that shouldn’t, that’s not just lazy—it’s taking money away from the fund that pays for everyone’s claims. It weakens the whole system.
So, if that’s how they handle their health benefits, where else are they being, shall we say, cinchy? Or worse—cutting corners? On the job site? Dodging taxes? Phoning it in wherever possible, hoping no one notices?
Spoiler: We noticed.
And we’d love not to. Really.
But here we are—again—because some people continue to treat responsibility like it’s a quirky lifestyle choice instead of a shared obligation.
And whatever their excuse is—it’s not us. Because we’ve done our part. Loudly. Repeatedly. Abundantly.
So, when the fallout happens, our official position is:
Got it. Next.
Yeah—we know. That probably sounds a lot like “We don’t care.”
But we do.
We care enough to do what has to be done—which, unfortunately, now means dragging this entire mess to its natural, bureaucratic conclusion. If that involves prosecution? Expulsion from the Plan? Then yes, that’s the path we’ll walk.
And does that make us happy? No. It makes us sad. Which, in turn, makes us mad.
Not for them—they made their bed, fluffed the pillow, and tucked themselves in.
We’re peeved because now we have to sit through the fallout—the whining, the complaints, the appeals, the carefully edited version of events being passed around the jobsite. All designed, of course, to cast them as the victim—and to blame everyone except the one person actually responsible: the one in the mirror.
So yes, we care—just not in the way they’re hoping for.
But I digress. This isn’t about us. It is about the people who consistent fail to “show up”.
At some point, as the saying goes, you let the chips fall where they may. And if they land in a sad little pile labeled “consequences of your own making”—well, so be it.
Now please—for the love of this newsletter and everyone who actually takes care of business—let us write about literally anything else.
Like topics that are helpful. Interesting. Meant for people who pay attention, who care, and who show the same respect for this organization as they (hopefully) do for themselves.
Not just at meetings. (And honestly—how about showing yourself enough respect to show up to a monthly meeting of the organization you chose to be a part of? We’d genuinely love to see you there. Really.)
Not just on the jobsite.
But in life. Where showing up, staying informed, and giving a damn actually matter.