September 25, 2025
Sheraton New York
Times Square Hotel 31 ST presented by
Labor's lifetime, trusted health partner
Anthem is proud to be a sponsor of the 31 st Annual Health & Benefits Expo.
Raquel Salamanca Balance Bill Specialist
L A B 0 R R X
Schedule of Events 31ST UNIFIED
Pharmacy benefit management that puts workers first
At Unified Labor Rx, organized labor is both a client and a partner- our success is your success. Our goal is to achieve the best balance between cost and efficacy for both members and plans, which is why we pursue solutions in an integrated way. If there's a way to reduce costs without compromising patient outcomes, we'll pursue it!
Unified Labor Rx is a next-generation pharmacy benefit management service designed intentionally to meet the needs of organized labor. We offer comprehensive, integrated services focused on securing the best possible outcomes for our clients and their members. As an omnichannel service provider, we provide our clients and partners with world-class service at a fraction of the price of other PBMs. Our unique revenuesharing business model mal<es us a partner in managing your healthcare benefits, not a middleman.
CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT
We leve rage a variety of advanced digital tools, on line resou rces a n d mob ile app licati ons to eliminat e gaps in care, impr ove adheren ce, and create an integrated h ealthcare exp e rie nce for those we serve
U 11 ified Labor Rx offers a compre he nsive su ite o f oustom and targeted clin ical programs en ables perso nal ized ev d'encedbas ed care iliat drives behavior ch ange and mproves the total cost of car e
INNOVATION
Drive n by customer engagement and insights, we w ork in a fastpaced environment to p ush the boundaries of existing processes thro ugh a human-centere d des gn app roach, b:ringing innova t on to ife
ROBUST DATA ANALYTICS
Our pr edictive a n alyl:ic s and reporting c.ipabilities en ab e us to hames.s data to make accuirate p re dicti ons, armin g our c usto mers with the insights to make more i n formed decisions a nd to bring d'own the total cost of.care
Rethinking the Model: How to Build Flexible Benefit Plans for Self-Insured Organizations
Presented by Michelle Zettergren President of Labor & Public Sector Chief Sales & Marketing Officer
9:30 am to 10:15 am Workshops 1 & 2
Presented by Suzanne Taranto Principal and Consulting Actuary
Noon to 12:30 pm Pizza & Prize Drawings 8:00 am
Registration Opens 8:30 am Exhibit Hall Opens / Continental Breakfast 11:00 am to 11:45 am Workshops 3 & 4 $500 American Express Gift Card
Biosimilar Pharmaceutical Pipeline and Its Impact on Pharmacy Costs 2026 and Beyond
10:15 am to 11:00 am Break in Exhibit Hall
Presented by John Cistaro Chief Sales Officer Beckie Fenrick, Pharm D Chief Pharmacy Officer Navion Back to the Future – How the OBBB, AI and Value-Based Care Will Impact 2026 and forward
Cost-Smart Care: PBM Strategies for Labor & Trust Funds Amid Changing State Laws & Federal Oversight
Presented by Tonia Sorrell-Neal Senior Director, State Affairs
DELIVERING MEMBER-FOCUSED TPA SOLUTIONS FOR 30 YEARS
THE TPA BUILT FOR LABOR.
Presenters
31ST
In Order of Appearance
Workshop 1: Rethinking the Model: How to Build Flexible Benefit Plans for Self-Insured Organizations
Michelle Zettergren
Michelle joined MagnaCare in 2017, becoming the first female President in the company’s 34-year history and leading a diverse team
focused on serving labor organizations and their members.
Michelle has led initiatives that have transformed MagnaCare’s business, including expanding the company’s services, capabilities, technology and outreach. Under her leadership, MagnaCare has grown to support over 1.4 million members nationwide and serve more than 90 Taft-Hartley and Labor benefit plans with its flexible and memberfocused TPA services, custom network solutions, innovative technology and seamless plug-and-play integration with 90 vendors and counting.
Michelle has also received multiple honors
Proven Cancer Outcomes Your Members Deserve Through MSK Direct.
for her outstanding leadership, including recognitions from Crain’s Notables in Healthcare (2020, 2022 and 2023) and Power Women on Long Island (2020). She is consistently named to the City and State’s Labor Power 100 list (2019-2024) and was honored by Schneps Media as a New York Labor Leader (2021-2024). She is routinely invited to share her insights on healthcare issues and solutions at industry events and is a guest contributor for multiple publications.
With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Michelle has spent the majority of her career supporting unions and their mission to ensure every worker has access to affordable healthcare. She is honored to be a part of the 31st Annual Health & Benefits Expo.
Workshop 2: Biosimilar Pharmaceutical Pipeline and Its Impact on Pharmacy Costs 2026 and Beyond
John Cistaro is the Chief Sales Officer of Unified Labor Rx and Executive Vice President of Worldcare MD. In his current positions, John manages nationwide sales and account management teams to ensure strategic growth while also managing underwriting, marketing and producer relations.
Prior to working at Cigna, John worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for five years in various client management, project management, and internal call center operations positions. John also worked for Elizabethtown Water Company as a Public Relations Associate for approximately one year. John’s passion is helping workers in organized labor. His long tenure in the employee benefits industry has allowed him to make and sustain relationships in organized labor throughout the country. He is also on the e-board of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and the advisory board for Union Labor Alliance Network.
John graduated with honors from Rutgers University with majors in communications and English and a concentration in public relations. John lives with this wife and three children in NJ. He is an active member of his church and the Scoutmaster of the local Boy Scout troop. John spends much of his free time as a chauffeur to his children as they participate in more sports and activities than any family ever should!
John was previously the Market President and Growth Leader for Cigna’s Taft-Hartley & Federal Business Segment. He managed a nationwide team of new business salespeople, existing business salespeople, and operations leaders. He was responsible for a $58M P&L and leading his team to exceed sales goals in the Taft-Hartley and Federal Business space. John’s tenure at Cigna included two years as President, 15 years as Senior VP of Sales as well as four years as a Senior Client Manager and two years as a Client Engagement Manager.
Beckie is dedicated to improving outcomes for patients, providers, health plans, employers and PBMs across the pharmacy landscape. With 25 years of experience as a pharmacy thought leader and change agent, she excels at identifying problems, uncovering opportunities, and reimagining clinical solutions for Navion—formerly AlignRx.
Prior to joining Navion, Beckie led the Pharmacy Practice at a national Rx consulting firm, where she managed RFPs for companies like Comcast, Pepsi, Chevron and Sony. She also served as the clinical lead for BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, where she shaped the clinical strategy for large, complex organizations, resulting in significant cost reductions and quality improvements. At BCBS of Florida, Beckie was instrumental in leading procurement
John Cistaro
efforts, driving better pharmacy outcomes across the board.
As Chief Pharmacy Officer at Navion, Beckie draws on her extensive experience advising major U.S. companies on the optimal ways to structure, manage and administer pharmacy benefits. Her expertise in lowering costs through innovative clinical programs, enhancing operational efficiency, negotiating drug rebate contracts and automating systems enables clients to maximize the value of their pharmacy spend.
Workshop 4: Cost-Smart Care: PBM Strategies for Labor & Trust Funds Amid Changing State Laws & Federal Oversight
Workshop 3: Back to the Future – How the OBBB, AI and Value-Based Care Will Impact 2026 and forward
Sue Taranto is a principal and consulting actuary with the New York Region of Milliman. She joined the firm in 2005 and leads the New York Region Employer Health Practice.
Sue has more than 30 years of employee benefits consulting experience. She provides advice on the design and delivery of comprehensive health welfare plans to both corporate and union plans. Sue is an expert in the area of accounting for postemployment benefits and specializes in financial analysis and benchmarking of health plans. She is responsible for negotiating and supporting a number of retiree medical VEBA trusts, and she has significant healthcare bargaining and design experience. She has done extensive analysis on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on employer-sponsored plans.
Sue has experience as a consulting actuary at a major consulting firm. She has also held senior positions leading compensation and benefits units of major (Fortune 500) U.S. companies.
Tonia Sorrell-Neal is a passionate advocate for equitable, affordable healthcare with over two decades of experience in the worlds of labor relations, healthcare policy, and regulatory reform. As the Senior State Affairs Director at the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), she works with labor unions, employers, and policymakers to promote policies that protect working families’ access to affordable prescription drugs. Her career began in labor relations, where she gained firsthand insight into the struggles workers and their families face when navigating complex healthcare systems. She developed deep expertise in pharmacy benefit management (PBM) and health plan design as a trustee for the masonry industry which allows her to translate complex policy issues into clear, actionable strategies that resonate with both union leaders and policymakers. At PCMA, Tonia leads state-level advocacy efforts, helping stakeholders stand against policies that would raise drug costs and limit access to care. She has fostered alliances between labor and management to ensure the voices of working families are heard.
Tonia is deeply committed to mentoring those in the trades and creating inclusive spaces for dialogue. She believes that when you are able to take ownership of healthcare and policy conversations, it not only uplifts your families but also drive systemic change.
Known for her dynamic and approachable style, she brings clarity to complex healthcare topics and empowers audiences to become advocates for themselves and their communities. Her guiding belief is simple yet powerful: when you are able to lead on healthcare, families and communities thrive.
Tonia Sorrell-Neal
Suzanne Taranto
If you are a Member of Teamsters, the Teamster Center Services, Association of Benefit Administrators, or the New York Labor Healthcare Alliance you are also a Member of the National Labor Alliance of Healthcare Coalitions (NLA).
The 2025 landscape of healthcare costs are exploding and continue to be a significant concern for Health Funds. Its time to look at the NLA Advantage Stop Loss Program.
What does this mean? You can access the NLA’s full suite of endorsed Products and Service Partners. https://nlahcc.org/products-service-partners
Our benefits are built to protect what matters most: your health, your hearing, and your future.
Birdsong believes the member experience is key. We offer: Easy to use member portal
• Trusted network of hearing providers
• Personalized member support
• Affordable access to latest hearing innovations
Why Birdsong?
We go beyond hearing aids—we support your members’ total well-being with benefits that are accessible, affordable, and built around the member experience.
• Reduce risk of depression and social isolation
• Lower chance of falls and related injuries
• Support for brain health and reduce dementia risk
• Improve communication and job performance
• Better access to career opportunities and workplace safety
CONNECT WITH US
Brenda Thompson Chief Operating Officer (586) 913-6148
brenda.thompson@birdsonghearing.com www.birdsonghearing.com
New York Labor Health Care Alliance
Delivering Trusted Advice That Improves Lives
48-18 Van Dam Street, Suite 201
Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 937-7010 www.teamsters813.org
Daniel L. Wright President & Principal Officer
Bonacio Crespi……. Secretary Treasurer
Robert R. Morrone…Vice President
Kimberly Zambito….Recording Secretary
Richard Laecca……. Trustee
Jason Bautista………Trustee
Christopher Hinz…. Trustee
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 11
810 Belmont Avenue, Suite 200, North Haledon, NJ 07508 973-636-0093
Teamsterslocal11@gmail.com
Michael Curcio: President & Principal Officer
Charlie Robinson: Vice President
Maryann Tittle: Secretary Treasurer
Anita Clark: Recording Secretary
Qamar Kimbrough: Trustee
Michael Mazzone: Trustee
Michael Heckel: Trustee
Ben Hernandez: Business Agent
Michelle Heller: Office Manager
Naomi Rodriguez: Bookkeeper
STRONG UNIONS DESERVE STRONG SECURITY.
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COHEN, WEISS AND SIMON LLP
Serving the Labor Community for Over 75 Years
Labor's lifetime, trusted health partner
Anthem is proud to be a sponsor of the 31 st Annual Health & Benefits Expo.
GEISINGER MARWORTH TREATMENT CENTER
Is addiction affecting your employee’s performance? We can help.
If you know someone in need of a fresh, clean start, turn to Geisinger Marworth Treatment Center.
Programs and services include:
• Inpatient and outpatient programs
• Dialectical behavior therapy skills training
• Full detoxification services, including buprenorphine detox for opiate-addicted patients
• Separate groups for men and women
• Dual diagnosis groups
• Relapse prevention groups
• Relationship issues group, including sexual compulsivity/addiction
• Nutrition education program, including eating disorders
• Music therapy
• Recreational therapy, including low-elements ropes course
• Trauma and PTSD support
• Family program
We can help free your employees from drug, alcohol or opioid addiction so they can do their best work — and live their best lives.
Marworth
Call us 24/7 at 866-875-1696 or visit marworth.org/teamster to learn more.