Trust asks: ‘How can we help?’

During this year’s WEAC Summer Academy, the WEA Trust shared personal stories from WEAC members regarding turbulent times in their lives. These stories demonstrate how, through a partnership between the member and the WEA Trust, members were able to go forward knowing that the WEA Trust was with them along the way. Here are their stories.

Jennifer Kuehl is a 23-year-old math teacher from Verona. And like most 23-year-olds, the importance of good health insurance was the last thing on her mind.

“I figured that I’m 23. If I happen to die, my mom will get some money. If I happen to get sick, I can go to the doctor,” Jennifer said.

But in one moment that all changed. Jennifer was involved in a serious car accident.

“I had issues that I was dealing with medically and emotionally. I had stress and anxiety just from the trauma of the whole situation and I didn’t need to be worrying about bills because I was missing work. I didn’t have the stress of the money because I had good insurance.”

Jennifer concluded by saying, “My car accident was so unbelievable… With the WEA Trust, I felt like I had a second dad taking care of me at that company.”

Knowing that your insurance company will be there when you need it is important. However, in some cases, knowing your insurance company is by your side through a longer life experience is just as important.

Kathi Hansen, a retired elementary special education teacher from Kaukauna, also shared her experience with the WEA Trust.

“The last two years I’ve gone through a personal health crisis that was not anything I ever would have expected and that could easily happen to anyone. In my case, it was breast cancer. I went through three separate surgeries, eight rounds of chemotherapy, and innumerable scans and MRIs. Because of the Trust, I could focus on getting better, getting through my treatment, and recovering from cancer. Knowing the Trust was there made a huge difference. They made getting through the cancer experience easier for me.”

Jennifer’s and Kathi’s stories were two of the video testimonials that staff from the WEA Trust shared with attendees throughout their sessions during the three-day conference.

These and other stories show that there is a difference in the philosophyat the WEA Trust.

“While most insurance companies look at conditions of human misery – sickness, accident, disability, or death – and ask, ‘How can we profit?’, the WEA Trust looks at those same conditions and asks, ‘How can we help?’” WEA Trust President Fred Evert said to members who attended the Monday night reception at this year’s Summer Academy.

WEAC President Stan Johnson also spoke to the crowd at the reception about WEAC’s long-lasting relationship with the WEA Trust.

“The Trust has been our partner for 35 years,” Johnson said. “It was created 35 years ago to offer public school employees a quality health plan backed by great service and dedicated to public school employees. It still does that today.”

September 13, 2005