- Is Brethren Medical Plan coverage available for pastors or church workers?
- Can retirees who are not currently enrolled in the Medicare Supplement Plan join?
- Do Medicare Supplement participants have access to a prescription drug plan?
- What is the HSA contribution limit?
- Is there a required contribution that employers must make into employees’ HSA accounts?
- How many plan designs does the Brethren Medical Plan offer to agencies, and what are their deductibles?
- Can anyone elect to have a Health Savings Account?
- When will we get enrollment materials?
- When is the annual open enrollment period for Brethren Insurance Services?
Brethren Insurance Services FAQ
While Brethren Insurance Services offers an array of ancillary insurance products to Church of the Brethren pastors and employees who work 20 hours a week or more, Annual Conference delegates discontinued Brethren Medical Plan coverage for the Ministers’ Group in 2007. Today, medical coverage through Brethren Medical Plan is only available to Brethren-affiliated employer groups.
Medicare Supplement insurance is offered to Medicare-eligible employees who work 20 or more hours per week at a participating employer with fewer than 20 employees, as well as their Medicare-eligible spouses. This insurance is also available to Medicare-eligible retirees of a Church of the Brethren-affiliated employer, as well as their Medicare-eligible spouses, widows, or widowers. At the time the individual becomes eligible for Medicare, he or she must enroll in Medicare Part A and part B as his or her primary coverage and enroll in this plan within the six-month enrollment period that immediately follows that person's Medicare eligibility date.
Yes, through Medicare. The prescription drug plan is called Medicare Part D. Click here for further details on Medicare Part D.
The Internal Revenue Service has established a maximum contribution limit of $3,350 for 2016 for those with individual medical coverage and $6,750 for 2016 for those with family (more than one person) medical coverage.
In March 2005, Brethren Benefit Trust convened a meeting of the Brethren Medical Plan Interim Advisory Panel. This group, which represented pastors, the denominational agencies, the Council of District Executives, and Annual Conference’s Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee, approved a recommendation that calls on every congregation, district, or other agency that offers a high-deductible plan to its employees to make a minimum contribution to their employees’ HSAs. The minimum recommended contribution for those with individual medical coverage is $500; it is $1,000 for those with family medical coverage. That recommendation was supported by the BBT Board at its April 2005 meeting.
Brethren Medical Plan offers three plan designs, including traditional Preferred Provider Organization and high-deductible PPO plans, with varying deductibles.
In order to qualify for an HSA, you must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan.
For ministers' group employees and retirees, enrollment materials will be available during the last week of October to those who are currently enrolled in any of our plans. Please click here after Oct. 26 to access information, rates, and updated forms. For agency group employees, check with your employer for your open enrollment period.
If you are not currently enrolled in our plans, please contact the Brethren Insurance Services at 800-746-1505 to request an open enrollment packet.
For ministers' group employees and retirees, open enrollment will be held in November.
For additional information, please contact Brethren Insurance Services at insurance@cobbt.org or 800-746-1505.