Althea Elliott
For 20 years, Althea Elliott’s comprehensive benefits package has allowed her family to get the healthcare they need while also opening the door for her to further her education, advance her career and become a U.S. citizen.
From 1990 to 1997, Althea Elliott worked at least two jobs at a time and barely made enough money to house her family. Then the Jamaican-born immigrant landed an entry-level position at Beth Israel Hospital and became a member of 1199SEIU. She’s accomplished many things thanks to the benefits of her Union membership, including becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) and a U.S. citizen. Her training benefits paved the way for Althea to graduate from college, earn an advanced degree and rise through the ranks at Beth Israel, gaining the necessary experience to move up through a combination of coursework and practical application. In addition, she took advantage of our 1199SEIU Citizenship Program and officially fulfilled a lifelong dream when she was sworn in as a U.S. citizen last year.
The opportunities for growth in the healthcare field are expanding—and Althea fully intends to keep using her benefits as an avenue for achievement. “I could not have become a nurse in Jamaica,” she said. “I will be forever thankful to 1199SEIU and to all of our employers for recognizing what we have to offer and investing in our futures.”
As impressive as they are, her accomplishments may not have been possible without the preventive care Althea accessed through the years to help her stay well—and the acute care she received to treat both of her eyes. “I had to have bilateral cataract surgery and underwent my first operation about 10 years ago,” she said. “I had the second eye done last year, but because of my healthcare coverage, I didn’t have any worries.”
But with my Benefit Fund, I can rest easy knowing that number one, I’m covered; and number two, I have access to all sorts of free wellness programs and services.
Registered Nurse
Mount Sinai Beth Israel
Having been at the now-merged Mount Sinai Beth Israel for two decades, Althea credits her consistent healthcare benefits with giving her peace of mind, reducing her stress level and helping her establish a relationship with her doctors, especially her primary care physician. That bond has motivated her to improve her habits, she said, like making sure to schedule her screenings and annual wellness visit, eating healthier, exercising and taking advantage of our Wellness Member Assistance Program and Outreach Department’s health fairs and workshops. “I have friends who can’t afford the care and the prescription medications that they need,” Althea said.
Her daughter has also benefited from Althea’s family coverage. She’s been able to keep her chronic allergies largely under control, Althea said, although the young girl has required steroid shots twice to treat severe outbreaks. “I don’t know where we’d be if I’d never joined such a great union and got access to quality care,” Althea concluded. “We wouldn’t be as healthy, that’s for sure!”
Whether you’re expecting your first child or your third, receiving prenatal care during your entire pregnancy results in healthier moms — and healthier babies.
With hobbies that include line dancing and playing the violin and the clarinet, Linda Beth Lawson knows that she needs to stay healthy to maintain her active lifestyle. Fortunately, she eats a nutritious diet and doesn’t have to worry about the few extra dollars that fresh fruit and vegetables may cost her. “Without my pension, I’d be lost,” she said. “I can tell you from experience that eating healthy foods costs more than eating junk food, and Social Security alone would leave me without any choice.”
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any type of cancer, you already know that hearing the news can be frightening. But your Benefit Fund wants to help you get the best, most appropriate care for your condition. Not every cancer requires chemotherapy, but some do. Similarly, some cancer diagnoses call for intensive interventions right away, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. That’s why we’ve expanded our partnership with eviCore healthcare, a company that uses established, evidence-based processes to support your doctors in pursuing the most effective course of treatment for you. This helps maintain consistency in diagnoses and treatment plans, and also helps limit your exposure to unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments. 
The annual Pre-RN Program Lab Coat Ceremony took place on May 23, 2016, and featured 12 graduating students. The students received official lab coats and were given Florence Nightingale pins to acknowledge their accomplishment. The ceremony showcased the students’ Capstone Project: a three month long assignment where they participated in a series of video production workshops and conducted interviews focusing on new and emerging diseases. At the ceremony, students presented their findings in three short videos.
