The San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco chapters of the National Tooling & Machining Association have endorsed Precision Manufacturing Benefits Trust (PMBT) as its provider of health care benefits.

PMBT combines the buying power of California precision manufacturers representing more than 800,000 employees into one of the fastest-growing single manufacturer’s buying pool for health care benefits in the industry, according to PMBT.

PMBT is a newly formed non-profit that provides below market cost health care benefits to precision manufacturers. PMBT offers 15 health plans, which include HMOs and PPOs, dental, vision and group life plans.

Organized and funded by Women of Manufacturing Empowerment Network, a nonprofit 501(c)(6) industry association, PMBT was formed to save precision manufacturers money and provide the option of controlling their own future through the buying pool in lieu of the Health Care Reform Act’s federally controlled program slated to take effect in 2014, according to PMBT.

PMBT is not an insurance company or a shared risk pool—it’s organized as a voluntary employees’ beneficiary association and is a tax exempt 501(c)(9) trust compliant and subject to all ERISA regulations.

Posted July 23