Member Stories

Hospital Grant helps CSEA Member

Union Plus Content Team

January 23, 2023

California School Employees Association (CSEA) member, Anna Avila, is an outreach worker at a Southern California high school who helps connect parents to resources throughout the community. When she landed in the emergency room after becoming ill, she had her union membership to thank for alleviating her stress. Avila ended up spending five days in the hospital and underwent emergency surgery without health insurance. 

“I saw how expensive it was getting,” Avila recalls of the medical bills.  

Then, in a stroke of luck, Avila learned about the Union Plus Hospital Grant.  

“I stumbled across it through an email in what seemed to be perfect timing,” she says. 

Avila applied for the Union Plus Hospital Grant¹ because she met the requirements for eligibility as a Union Plus Credit Cardholder² in good standing and for longer than three months before her hospitalization. Union Plus Mortgage, Supplemental Insurance or Retiree Healthcare program Participants are also eligible to apply. Avila used her $1,200 grant to pay for one of her surgery fees. 

According to Avila, applying was easy. 

“I just collected my bills and sent them in,” she says. 

The Union Plus Hospital Grant can be used to cover a wide range of out-of-pocket hospital expenses, including insurance deductibles, physician charges, medications, and other medical expenses incurred during hospitalization.  
 
“When I got back to work, I let everyone know about the hospital grant,” Avila says. “A lot of people weren’t aware of it. I said it’s there if you ever need it.”  

She continues, “The hospital grant came as a huge blessing and I’m so thankful it was available.”

To learn more about the Union Plus Hospital Grant and other Union Plus hardship benefits, visit unionplus.org/hardship.