About Us

About the Fund

The City of Cambridge is a joint sponsor of the Cambridge Public Employees Dental and Vision Fund with the labor unions that represent City of Cambridge, Cambridge Health Alliance and Cambridge School Department employees.

The Fund was first established in 1981 as the Local 195 Health & Welfare Fund to provide dental benefits to eligible employees represented by that union. At that time, it was the first independent jointly trusted fund in Massachusetts to provide any benefits to public employees. Retiree benefits started in 1982 when the Fund permitted retirees, who had previously participated in the Fund as active employees, to continue to participate by paying the Funds’ COBRA rate. In 2005, the Fund added a vision plan as one of its benefits. In 2009, the Cambridge Teachers Health & Welfare Fund merged into and became part of the Cambridge Public Employees Dental and Vision Fund. The Fund is a qualified Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA) under Section 501(c)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and, therefore, is exempt from income taxes. Ten Trustees, equally divided between union and management representatives, administer the Fund. The Fund has grown significantly over the past 35 years. Currently, approximately 4,000 employees and their family members participate in the Fund.