By July 1, 2015, employers may not reimburse or directly pay for individual health insurance plans unless the employer has only one benefits-eligible employee, according to IRS rulings related to the Affordable Care Act. (See earlier posts in FCMM News & Perspectives.)
FCMM Benefits & Retirement recently announced that group health insurance is now available for EFCA churches with as few as two staff members. The highly respected health plans of GuideStone Financial Resources (the benefits board that serves Southern Baptist and other evangelical ministries) are provided through a partnership with FCMM, the benefits organization of the EFCA.
GuideStone group plans meet Affordable Care Act eligibility for pre-tax benefit.
Limited access to GuideStone personal plans is also in effect for one-employee-church pastors, but only within 60 days of new hire or with a HIPAA-qualifying event such as marriage, addition of a family member, or loss of coverage. Personal plans for those qualified are available with no medical underwriting restrictions.
A church employer obtaining group health insurance for 2-4 participants will chose one health plan. Employers covering 5 or more participants may offer two health plan choices. The employer must cover all full-time eligible employees. “Eligible” is defined as an employee who has no other group plan coverage, such as coverage under a spouse’s health plan or Medicare coverage. Churches with more than 10 eligible employees may have additional options.
As with any group health plan, other rules and procedures apply. Each group plan eligible employee must complete a personal health questionnaire and there are thresholds for employer contribution levels. Click here to download a summary of the guidelines for personal, small group, and larger group plans, plus comparison of GuideStone's 8 standard medical plans and 3 HSA plans.
Contact GuideStone at 214-720-1190 or insurancesolutions@guidestone.org to inquire and request a proposal by identifying the church's EFCA/FCMM connection. (EFCA churches in the Texas-Oklahoma District are covered by a prior association plan and should contact the district office for information.) Visit www.guidestone.org for general health plan information.
FCMM currently offers benefits services to churches including Retirement Plan, Long Term Disability Insurance Plan, and Payroll Service, as well as human resources expertise. The partnership with GuideStone now adds the important benefit of group health insurance.
