wfn.org | It's the final stretch for the ELCA's 2009 health assessment

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

>ELCA News Blog

>September 25, 2009  

It's the final stretch for the ELCA's 2009 health assessment

>by Frank Imhoff, ELCA News Service

People in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) primary
health plan are approaching a Sept. 30 deadline. ELCA pastors, associates
in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers, employees and their
eligible spouses have been able to take the online 2009 Mayo Clinic
Health Assessment since Jan. 1. Those completing the assessment by Sept.
30 earn $100 to offset out-of-pocket medical expenses, and they have
until Nov. 30 to earn an additional $300 by completing various health
improvement activities. The financial incentive was developed by the ELCA
Board of Pensions to encourage the health plan's members to tend to their
well-being by taking at least one small step each year to consider the
state of their health.

ELCA synods, seminaries and churchwide ministries earn a 2 percent
discount on health contributions for the rest of 2009, once 75 percent of
their respective eligible ELCA-primary plan members and spouses complete
the assessment. Six seminaries, five synods and the ELCA Board of
Pensions have already earned the discount this year, collectively saving
nearly $253,000.

The ELCA Board of Pensions is collecting opinions on why only six in 10
health plan members have taken the assessment, despite the $100 and 2
percent discount incentives.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog