November is Open Enrollment month for EPC Benefit Resources, Inc., (BRI), which presents an opportunity for churches to enroll their staff or make changes to employees benefit plan coverages. The 2021 Open Enrollment website provides information on the EPC’s five medical/prescription drug plans; dental, vision, and life insurance benefits; and other health offerings. Comparison charts, individual plan details, and changes—as well as premium rates for all plans—are easily accessed. All enrollment or coverage changes made during Open Enrollment become effective January 1, 2021.
During open enrollment:
- Churches can enroll in EPC benefit plans for the first time.
- Currently covered individuals can make changes to their benefit elections for 2021.
- Churches can add to, or change, their plan offerings for 2021 by completing a Benefits Election Form.
- If enrollment and plan selections are not being changed for a current participant, then no action is needed. Under this “passive process,” all will automatically retain their current coverages for 2021 unless they actively initiate a change.
Bart Francescone, BRI Executive Director, said premium rates for the 2021 medical/prescription drug plans are increasing by an average of 3.6 percent.
“This is the lowest increase in many years, and it follows last year’s low increase of only six percent,” Francescone said. “The BRI Board of Directors and staff have worked hard in partnership with our plan administrators to maintain our high-quality plans at the lowest possible cost. This has enabled us to keep our increases significantly lower than the national weighted average medical cost trend, despite so many uncertainties related to COVID and the national healthcare landscape.”
Premium rates for the dental plans and life insurance are unchanged for 2021. In addition, premium rates for the 2021 vision plan are eight percent lower than the 2020 rate.
“We are replacing EyeMed with National Vision Administrators, which has resulted in lower premiums and added benefits,” Francescone said. “These include reducing the co-pays for many lens options and providing coverage for both contacts and eyeglass lenses. Previously, participants had to choose one or the other.”
He added that NVA has more than 94,000 participating providers nationwide, including major retail eyecare chains, discount providers like Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club vision centers, and thousands of private practitioners. Current vision plan participants will be enrolled with NVA automatically and receive a welcome packet in December.
All EPC benefit plans are available to full-time employees (30 hours or more per week) of EPC churches, as well as World Outreach global workers, chaplains, and EPC ministers serving out-of-bounds or without call.
“Anyone new to the EPC—or interested in enrolling in one of our benefit programs for the first time—should contact the individual who handles benefits at their church or organization,” Francescone said. “And as always, BRI staff members are happy to answer any questions someone may have about our programs.”
For more information about the EPC’s 2021 benefit plans, contact BRI at 407-930-4492 or benefits@epc.org, or see www.epc.org/benefits/2021openenrollment.