A100 Adopt Cost Controls in Denominational Health Plan
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That the 81st General Convention urge the Church Pension Group to take actions to make the health insurance plans offered by the Episcopal Church Medical Trust self-sufficient and self-funding at each offered benefit level to the extent possible and appropriate; and be it further
Resolved, That the Church Pension Group be urged to offer health insurance benefit offerings in the Episcopal Church Medical Trust comparable to those offered by the benefit agencies of similar denominations including, but not limited to, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the United Church of Christ, and to continue collaborating with them when feasible for achieving greater purchasing power in the provision of prescription drug benefit offerings.
Explanation
The rising cost of health insurance presents a continuing challenge to communities within The Episcopal Church seeking to provide quality benefits for health care to their employees at an affordable cost. While the Church Pension Group has moved to control costs to the fullest extent of their ability, the church itself needs to recommend specific changes to keep costs affordable.
At present, not all benefit levels within the Episcopal Church Medical Trust are self-supporting, which leads to rising costs across all plans offered to employees and dependents. Many of our benefit offerings are also out of step with those offered to lay and clergy employees in our peer denominations.
This resolution expresses the desire of the church for CPG to take steps to contain costs within the Denominational Health Plan by taking steps to make each benefit level self-sustaining to the extent possible, and by seeking to keep benefit offerings in line with those offered by our sibling denominations.