A Benefits Plan to serve more in 2025

What’s updated for 2025

Benefits Plan enhancements

The 2025 Benefits Plan includes benefits enhancements that better serve employers and their employees:


• Death and disability benefits and pension credit accruals are calculated using one median effective salary, improving benefits for some employees and supporting parity among all plan members.
• Death benefits through the Death and Disability Plan increased:
  • minimum benefit for beneficiaries of retired members increased from $10,000 to $12,500
  • maximum salary increased from $110,000 to the IRS compensation limit ($350,000 in 2025)
  • value of the benefit increased for survivors of members ages 50 to 64
• Supplemental death benefits dues decreased by 10%.
• The waiting period for temporary disability benefits decreased from 14 to 7 days.
• The benefit provided by the Death and Disability Plan increased from 60% to 70% of the member’s salary or the median salary (whichever is greater).
• The benefit provided by the Long-Term Disability Plan and the Temporary Disability Plan increased from 60% to 70% of the member’s salary.
• Term life coverage is available at higher amounts, and accidental death and dismemberment coverage is included with that coverage.
• The Vision Eyewear Plan is now the Vision Plan, offering an annual vision exam and discounts on eyeglasses, contacts, lens enhancements, and more.
  

Vendor partner updates for 2025

• Spring Health replaced Cigna as the service provider of the Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), offering mental health care navigation and EAP services.
• Medical Plan members received new medical ID cards for 2025 from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. They can continue to use their current Express Scripts prescription drug ID cards. (New members in 2025 can access their prescription drug ID cards virtually).
• A new online care navigation platform from Quantum Health launched in October 2024. Medical Plan members received communications from Quantum Health about how to reregister for service through the new platform.
• If you offer flexible spending accounts (FSAs) or health savings accounts (HSAs), administration transferred from Further to HealthEquity.

Covenant Package: Income protection with added value

The Covenant Package provides a bundled set of income protection benefits at an exceptional value.


• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
  
• Death and Disability Plan
  
• Temporary Disability Plan
  
• Employee Assistance Plan


Members of the Benefits Plan also receive access to assistance and education programs that support their holistic well-being.

Learn more about the Covenant Package.

Do you have a minister in Pastor’s Participation?

Ministers in Pastor’s Participation as of Dec. 31, 2024, were automatically enrolled in Transitional Pastor's Participation for 2025 unless you chose to offer them a different package. Transitional Pastor’s Participation continues the noncontributory dues structure of Pastor’s Participation as a percentage of effective salary through Dec. 31, 2027, subject to cost increases.