WHAT WE DO &

Who We Are

History of the MERP

The Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 entered into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the City of Pittsburgh wherein the parties agreed that contributions would be made to a trust for retiree health benefits, to be administered by the Fraternal Order of  Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 (“FOP Lodge 1”).


FOP Lodge 1 subsequently created and adopted an employee welfare benefit trust (i.e., the Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 Retiree Medical Trust) in December 2018, to hold these contributions in trust for retiree health benefits for employees represented by the FOP Lodge 1.

FOP Lodge 1 granted administration of the trust fund pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to a Board of Trustees, as set forth in the Trust Agreement Governing the FOP Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 Retiree Medical Trust.


The Board of Trustees subsequently created and adopted the Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (“MERP”) of the FOP Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 Retiree Medical Trust in July 2019.  The MERP is intended to help eligible members address the funding part of the retiree healthcare equation by providing reimbursements for qualifying medical care expenses incurred by Eligible Retiree members during their retirement.

Trust Advisors

  • Trust Office: CW Breitsman Associates LLC

    Day-to-day administration of the Plan and Trust is handled by CW Breitsman Associates LLC, operating as the Trust Office. The Trust Office is an excellent resource for information and provides important administrative services to the Trust and plan participants. To find out your current Benefit Level, submit benefit claims, request a copy of the Plan, or notify the Trust of a change in address, you should contact the Trust Office. 

  • Legal Counsel: The Wagner Law Group

    The Wagner Law Group is a nationally recognized practice in the areas of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) issues and employee benefits. The Wagner Law Group has been with the Trust since its inception in 2018.  Their attorneys provide advice to the Trust and act as its Legal Counsel. The Wagner Law Group is dedicated to the highest standards of integrity, excellence and thought leadership and is considered to be amongst the nation’s premier ERISA and employee benefits law firms.

  • Actuary: Acrisure, LLC

    Acrisure LLC specializes in actuarial services and stress testing of municipal and private sector pension funds, as well as employee health and welfare plans. The Board of Trustees retains Acrisure LLC to perform periodic valuation studies to analyze the impact on benefit levels due to changes in investment returns, assumption rates, longevity, and contribution rates.

  • Investment Manager: CBIZ InR

    CBIZ InR is a provider of investment advisory services for public- and private-sector clients, and non-profit organizations—providing customized investment portfolios through an asset allocation model based on participant risk tolerance, projected retirement age, and other important factors.  The FOP Board of Trustees retains CBIZ InR to invest and manage the Trust’s assets.

  • Independent Auditor: Grossman, Yanack & Ford LLP

    Grossman, Yanack & Ford LLP audits employee benefit plans with assets ranging from less than $1 million to over $700 million and with participants numbering from 100 to over 20,000. A comprehensive benefit plan audit can help uncover financial matters as well as compliance issues related to the operation of the plan. 

Board of Trustees

Our Leadership

The FOP Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 Retiree Medical Trust was created by FOP Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 for its members who are employed by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police (“Bureau”). The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom are currently active police officers with the Bureau, members of Lodge No. 1, and participants in the Trust. The Trustees are fiduciaries, responsible for all aspects of plan governance, and not compensated for their service.


Our Team

  • Elizabeth Phillips, Chair
  • Jonathan Gromek
  • David Pisani
  • Anthony Dilley