Bargaining Session Highlights Deep Distrust, Rising Costs, and Call for Real Accountability
Jefferson County, CO —During a joint bargaining session on April 17, education workers from the Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association (JESPA) and the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA) confronted UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and the Jeffco School District over the growing crisis of healthcare affordability. The unions’ message was loud and clear: the current system is broken, and both UHC and the district must be held accountable.
The session—open to the public and attended by hundreds of employees—featured a presentation from UHC that quickly came under scrutiny. Union representatives questioned UHC official, Eric Palmquist, on everything from claim denials and delays to medication coverage and prior authorization roadblocks.
Despite UHC’s claim that less than 0.5% of claims are “clinically denied,” they admitted that 10% of claims require manual review, often due to missing documentation, coordination of benefits, or alleged duplication. For workers, the distinction between denial and delay means little when essential care is inaccessible or unaffordable.
UHC attempted to defend its record by citing bundled services under its “Surest” plan and vague references to “value-based care,” but couldn’t answer the most basic question: What guarantees can you make that our members won’t face unreasonable denials or delays? Instead, they dismissed rising criticisms as “social media misinformation” and “fake news” — a move that only further alienated the room.
Shifting the Focus: Holding Jeffco Accountable
But the grilling didn’t stop with UHC.
When district officials were asked why the burden of rising premiums falls entirely on employees, they failed to provide a satisfying answer. JESPA President Zander Kaschub zeroed in on the district’s refusal to move toward a percentage-based contribution model—a structure that would hold the district responsible for escalating healthcare costs, instead of offloading the rising costs to employees. This structure has been demanded by JESPA and JCEA and recommended by the Benefits Advisory Committee (BAC) for the past three years.
During the session, Jeffco Benefits Director Adam Barnett tried to defend the district’s lack of action by claiming that Jeffco isn’t charging employees enough to cover the full cost of healthcare—pointing to a 107.5% loss ratio, where claims exceed premium revenue. But this framing ignores the reality: premiums for workers are already painfully high, and many can’t even afford to cover their families.
The real issue isn’t that employees aren’t paying enough—it’s that Jeffco isn’t contributing its fair share. Barnett’s comments revealed a deeper problem: a district willing to point fingers at workers instead of acknowledging that it has the resources—over $200 million in reserves—and the responsibility to fund healthcare properly.
Despite these facts, the district continues to reject a percentage-based model that would finally make healthcare costs a shared responsibility.
“Every year we continue down this road without shared contributions and a real commitment from Jeffco on healthcare,” Kaschub said. “You are giving us a pay cut.”
Kaschub also pushed back hard on the district’s narrative that financial uncertainty prevents them from taking action, noting that Jeffco has over $212 million in reserves—a fact district leaders did not dispute. The conversation escalated when Kaschub asked directly whether the district would commit to developing a percentage-based structure, only to hear that the Board had not authorized it.
The tension was palpable.
Educators and support professionals are exhausted by years of vague promises and incremental offers that leave working families behind. During the session, union leaders pointed to examples of workers who can’t afford to cover their dependents, who are rationing medications, and who are dropping off district insurance altogether.
Mental Health Care, EAP, and Broken Trust
Beyond premiums and claims, union leaders also demanded answers about the district’s commitment to mental health services. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP), once a well-regarded resource, has been repeatedly downsized in recent years. District representatives insisted that staffing levels and hours are responsive to employee needs—but JESPA members have observed that EAP counselors are under-resourced due to reductions in hours.
Mixed Messages on Staff Meals and Support
The contradictions continued. When the district said they couldn’t offer discounted meals to employees due to USDA restrictions, JESPA called out the inconsistency—pointing to the #TeamJeffco Brief from March 5th, just days after bargaining, that advertised discounted staff meals. Trust, once again, eroded.
What Comes Next?
Despite district claims of interest in a collaborative process, no counteroffer was provided during the session. When pressed on whether the district would bring forward a new benefits proposal, the district’s bargaining chair, Amanda Pierorazio, deflected, citing a lack of board authorization and vague concerns about financial sustainability.
In the end, JESPA and JCEA made it clear:
“We’re united and we’re not waiting for permission to fight for dignity. We intend to bargain healthcare together and will not accept a split deal.”
Zander Kaschub and JESPA leaders are pushing not just for tweaks, but for a structural overhaul of Jeffco’s healthcare model—one that centers equity, shared responsibility, and transparency. Zander and the JESPA and JCEA bargaining team demanded that Superintendent Tracy Dorland and the School Board come to the next session, as Amanda made it clear she needs authorization from them to put a real offer on the table.
As the room emptied out, one thing was certain: the workers are united, informed, and ready to keep the pressure on.
