BRETHREN MEDICAL PLAN

Brethren Benefit Trust recently released a report from the Annual Conference Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee. The six-page report provides a comprehensive overview of the committee’s work and includes a recommendation that the present medical plan for ministers and retirees be phased out. The entire document may be accessed at http://www.brethren.org/ac/medicalplan.html and then follow the link to Brethren Medical Plan Report to the 2007 Annual Conference (pdf file).

The recommendation is as follows:

Based on the two years of study, the Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee makes the following recommendations:

1. That the medical insurance component of the Brethren Medical Plan for the ministers and retirees be phased out while allowing BBT to continue to explore the viability of the Plan for the church-related agencies;
   
2. That the long-term disability, life, vision and dental insurance elements of the Brethren Medical Plan continue;
   
3. That BBT be directed to attempt to find alternative medical coverage for those current participants who would not otherwise be able to obtain or afford medical insurance.
   
   Randall Yoder, Interim Director for Insurance Plans states in a letter addressed to denominational and agency staffs: “Brethren Benefit Trust is asking that [present participants] continue to remain in the Brethren Medical Plan until the paper is discussed and deliberated at Annual Conference. Please be aware that BBT will provide adequate time to consider your future health insurance plans if there are changes to the Brethren Medical Plan.”
   
   Yoder also reports that three events are scheduled at Annual Conference this summer for receiving more information about the report and recommendation. “An Annual Conference Hearing is scheduled on Saturday, June 30, from 9 to10 p.m., to provide a clearer understanding about the report. The Annual Conference business item reported by the Annual Conference Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee is tentatively scheduled on Monday, July 2, at 10:50 a.m. A BBT insight session is also scheduled on Monday, July 2, from 9 to 10 p.m., following the Conference action, to discuss future directions.”