THE CECHCR APPROACH

We help California school districts and unions make wise healthcare purchasing decisions through a transparent, collaborative and proven process.

For over 20 years the CECHCR Approach to healthcare education and purchasing has achieved documented savings in excess of $200 million, as well as improved labor-management relationships across the state.

The healthcare markets are more volatile than they have been in decades and the need for the CECHCR Approach has never been greater.

Core CECHCR Services

Assessment & Training

We will start by evaluating your current benefits landscape. Then, we will equip you with the tools and in-person training needed to establish a joint labor-management health benefits committee, empowering your organization to make well-informed benefits decisions.

RFP & Decision Advice

We will lead a structured RFP process for your district’s health benefits using the CECHCR Approach to achieve strong fiscal outcomes while maintaining quality, benefits, and access. Afterward, we provide support to ensure the successful implementation of your chosen plan.

COMING SOON: Ongoing Education

Through the new CECHCR Membership program, you can select from a number of mix-and-match packages all geared toward strengthening your health benefits committee and educating your employees.

For a limited time only, new members will receive a discount on their first year of membership!

Build knowledge and confidence

Improve collaboration

Achieve the best results

The CECHCR Approach is not just a method—it’s a legacy. Rooted in the extensive history and proven success of the CECHCR Project, this comprehensive framework is tailored to meet the unique needs of your school district and unions. Inspired by the CECHCR Project’s success, our approach is based on transparency and objectivity, and champions neutral and informed program evaluation. Our main goal remains: to find you the highest quality benefits at the most competitive prices through an objective and collaborative process.

Over the coming months, we will begin to add new education and resources as we continue CECHCR’s commitment to informing healthcare purchasers around a rapidly changing market.

This effort is guided by a group of Advisors, including some long-time founding CECHCR leaders, and some new public education thought leaders:

Project Advisors:

  • Cindy Young, CCS/CECHCR Project Manager, Retired

  • Ruben Ingram, Former CECHCR Coalition Co-Chair; Executive Director, School Employers Association of California (SEAC), Retired

  • Janet Walden, CCS President & CEO, Retired

  • Mike Simonson, Deputy Superintendent, Chief Business Officer San Diego County Office of Education

  • Daryl Hemenway, Bargaining Specialist, California Teachers Association

The legacy continues…

“During my time working as a partner and consultant to CECHCR, I have affirmed my deep appreciation for the support offered to California public schools, community colleges, and the respective unions, through the CECHCR work.

The CECHCR Approach to educating and purchasing healthcare has been ahead of its time as a champion of collaboration, objectivity, and transparency. It offers the gold standard for the alignment of incentives between a client and their advisor in healthcare.

I am honored and proud to carry on the rich tradition of advising and assisting you through the CECHCR Approach.”

— MATT BITTNER
Founder of The Volition Group

  • "One of the advantages of how CECHCR approaches healthcare is their focus on collaboration and explaining complex benefits information as simply as possible. Working with advisors like Matt who focus on transparency and an open process allows for trust to be strengthened between labor and management. Additionally, CECHCR is always willing to speak with employee groups the same way they work to educate the insurance committee and the District."

    — Bill Young, Deputy Superintendent Business Services of Natomas Unified School District

  • "Lake Elsinore Unified School District has benefited greatly from the CECHCR Approach to healthcare education, enhancing our understanding of healthcare for our insurance committee members. With Matt and CECHCR's guidance, we're now better equipped to assess our options in the market as we continue to grow our understanding throughout the RFP process. Our collaboration has been very productive, and we're excited about the prospects of developing a healthier program as a result. The education provided by CECHCR is clear and directly addresses our group's needs in managing a program that delivers high-quality benefits."

    — Robert Recatto, Director of Safety and Risk Services of Lake Elsinore Unified School District

  • "One of the major advantages of how CECHCR approaches healthcare is their focus on collaboration. The Natomas Teachers' Association were apprehensive about moving forward in any healthcare conversations with our district without having a neutral third party who could provide us with the education and understandings that we knew we needed. Bringing in CECHCR made us all feel comfortable with not just the process but our collective decisions. Working with advisors like Cindy and Matt who focus on transparency and an open process which allows for much more trust to be built around the process. Additionally, CECHCR is always willing to speak with employee groups and educate our members the same way they work to educate the insurance committee and the district. Trust, collaboration and transparency all result in a really productive process that our members can count on. After having had CECHCR in the conversations with NTA and NUSD we feel much stronger about future collaboration, we have a common base to start from shared language and understanding."

    — Mara Harvey of Natomas Teachers Association

  • " The Sacramento City Teachers Association has worked successfully with CECHCR for nearly a decade. We recently had the opportunity to work with Matt Bittner as part of the CECHCR team serving our school district and union in an extensive RFP process. Matt’s contributions were marked by exceptional clarity, helpfulness, and most importantly, a commitment to objectivity and transparency. We are happy that Matt will carry on the important, neutral work exemplified for decades by the CECHCR project, and that he will be a great resource in addressing healthcare issues."

    — Nikki Milevsky, President of Sacramento Teachers Association

The CECHCR Approach will continue to build a community of individuals and organizations that are committed to furthering the key principles of our Approach to healthcare education and purchasing. 

Here is what the CECHCR Approach means to us and what you can expect: 

  • Education-First – we will continue to support the empowerment of school district healthcare purchasers through education. Educated purchasers are able to make better decisions.

  • Joint Labor-Management – The insurance industry has attempted to use labor-management bargaining as a way to create division and distraction among purchasers. The key to a successful healthcare program is collaboration and cooperation among the parties. The CECHCR Approach puts this collaborative practice at the heart of everything we do.  

    Objective and Transparent Support: We only get paid by our clients. We do not take any compensation from the insurance industry. We “walk the walk” by offering the gold standard “compensation disclosure” form in our client contracts. If you would like to use our disclosure form with your broker or consultant, contact us today for a copy.

  • Proven Results: Since inception, CECHCR has saved California school districts, community colleges and their employees over $200 million in health insurance premiums—all without reducing the quality of their benefits.

The CECHCR APPROACH