By Paul Thomas, Detroit Conference Director of Communications
The Detroit Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits has informed local churches that the conference's health insurance rates for 2011 have risen by 10 percent over the rates for 2010. The 10 percent increase is below an earlier projection by the CBOPHB that figured a 15 percent increase in the rates.
According to a letter sent to clergy in the active group health insurance plan, staff-parish relations committee chairpersons, and selected conference agencies, the Rev. Don Emmert, conference benefits officer, stated that the increase is due primarily to the high rate of medical claims experienced by the group health plan in 2010.
"While no one is satisfied and everyone struggles with these high costs, our recent conference claims trend has slowed enough to reduce the 2011 increase by a third," Emmert said.
Emmert also stated in the letter that the conference plan has experienced a cumulative increase of 26 percent over the last four years. That is less than the national average, which is 35-38 percent.
In addition to the increase in health insurance rates for 2011, Emmert reported that 63 percent of the eligible participants enrolled in the Virgin HealthMiles program. Those who have who have reached level 3 in the program, and either participated in the ProCheck for Health Screening at annual conference or had a physical during the year will earn financial credit for their salary-paying unit in December.
Emmert said that a mailing will be sent in November to each participant along with a confirmation form that must be completed and returned in order to receive the credit.
Please visit www.detroitconference.org/benefits to view the 2011 health insurance rates, as well as information on how to enroll in the Virgin HealthMiles program. Those with questions my contact Emmert by phone at 810-233-5500 or by e-mail at demmert@detroitconference.org.
0 comments:
Post a Comment