Barbara is an IHSS provider and UDW member in San Diego County. She cares for her 36-year-old daughter who has Down Syndrome. Until recently, Barbara and her husband paid a huge amount for health coverage: $1,000/month for just Barbara alone. Barbara became an IHSS provider in 2007, and there was a waitlist for several years prior to the new contract being negotiated.

Many caregivers struggle to pay for our own health care, and that’s why UDW’s San Diego members pushed to expand our health plan and raise wages in our new contract, which went into effect on January 1. The contract gave IHSS providers who work in San Diego County a $1/hour raise and, even more beneficial to providers like Barbara, the contract effectively eliminated the county waiting list for health insurance and lowered all Kaiser premiums to just $30/month.

That means $970 back in Barbara’s pocket every month. “I’m thrilled,” she said. “It was something I didn’t expect. That’s a car payment or a vacation!”