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News Release
Christian Church Health Care Benefit Trust
October 12, 2005
The Christian Church Health Care Benefit
Trust announced today the health care plans and rate tables for the
Churchwide Health Care (CWHC) program for 2006. Active employees and
eligible participants under age 65 will have three plan options for next
year. Two of the plans are Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans
with $500 and $1,000 deductibles, respectively. The third plan is a
Health Savings Account eligible plan with a $2,500 deductible. All of
the plans will be administered by CWHC using Highmark Blue Cross,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as its third party administrator.
Retirees and other participants eligible
for Medicare will have two programs available to them. Both programs
will offer participants the choice of selecting the drug coverage
offered, or opting out in favor of Medicare Part D. Benesight will
remain as third party administrator. James Hamlett, president of the
Pension Fund of the Christian Church, which serves as trustee of the
program said, “We want to give people the opportunity to evaluate
whether Medicare Part D fits best with their needs in terms of coverage
and cost. The drug coverage offered through CWHC is substantially better
than Medicare Part D, however.”
Current participants in CWHC programs
will be moved to the applicable programs automatically using the new
rate tables which account for the number of persons in a household to be
covered and the age of the employee.
New enrollees will be subjected to
underwriting, which could affect eligibility, require pre-existing
condition limitations or affect premium rates.
“This is a new era of coverage for
Churchwide Health Care that addresses some of the most common concerns
about the current programs,” said Hamlett. “Many current participants
will see lower premiums. Regrettably, those who are nearing retirement
will face higher premiums consistent with age banded pricing tables,” he
added.
Current participants, eligible
congregations and church related organizations will receive further
details in the coming days. Leaders hope the new plans will generate
broad support and participation. Full details of the plans and premium
tables are available on the Churchwide Health Care web site at
www.discipleshealth.org. |
