We are pleased to announce that our union and the Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) has reached an agreement on a new additional NJ Direct PPO that will be available for enrollment in January of next year. This PPO is modeled after the CWA Unity PPO that state employees have had available to them for almost two years. CRU had urged a speedy adoption of this new NJ Direct PPO given that it had the opportunity to save employees and the University millions of dollars. However, Rutgers dragged its feet and did not prioritize the negotiation for many months. Thanks to CRU's persistent pressure, a faculty member on a family NJ Direct 15 plan will save as much as $1500 a year when compared with current premium rates. The agreement is subject to state approval. Once approved, specific details of the new NJ Direct PPO option and how it compares to existing plans will be available.