Benefits reExamined
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Benefits are an investment in God’s ministry as carried out through the lives of rostered ministers and lay employees in the Traditional Benefits Program.
Now more than ever, as we navigate a changing world, the ELCA needs a benefit program that provides value and care for those who serve.
Through Benefits reExamined, Portico invites dialogue with the ELCA faith community to help discern and design potential benefit changes to continue to meet the evolving needs of this church.
Change brings both uncertainty and possibility. As this work unfolds, we strive to understand and examine all needs — faithfully, objectively, and collaboratively.
Guiding Principles
Today’s ELCA benefit program is rooted in principles expressed through the ELCA Philosophy of Benefits and Wholeness Wheel.
- Community — Pooled purchasing power achieves discounted group rates, access to better providers and programs, and administrative efficiency. Costs are shared through a community pricing structure that takes into account family size, geographic location, compensation, and age.
- Uniformity — A consistent benefits package across the church facilitates the call process by freeing rostered ministers to serve where called.
- Wholeness — Benefits strengthen whole-person well-being, provide a bundle of comprehensive protection, and offer choice to help care for a spectrum of needs over a plan member’s lifetime.
Why Benefits reExamined?
Your input over the years has helped Portico adapt ELCA benefits to serve plan members and organizations well. We are committed to preserving valued benefit features as we explore calls for greater affordability and flexibility, stemming from growing trends.
Rising health care costs nationwide impact everyone
- Perennially outpaces inflation
- Affects households and congregations
Declining church attendance
- Lower financial giving
- Difficult ministry decisions
Shrinking membership pool
- Less purchasing power
- Health claims increase with age
Changing ELCA workforce
- Pastoral vacancies
- Lay and bi-vocational leaders
Shaping Future ELCA Benefits Together
Learn more in these periodic updates.
Expand each question below for answers.
What is changing?
Changes will be made to ELCA-Primary health benefits available from the ELCA Health Plan for plan members under age 65 (or over age 65 and sponsored by a large employer), effective Jan. 1, 2026, to address the church’s request for more affordability and flexibility. Specifics have not yet been finalized or approved. We’ve listened closely to the community to learn what’s most important and then used rigorous analysis to discern what might change and what must stay the same. Through this work, Portico and the Benefits reExamined Project Team have given prayerful and careful consideration to the potential impact on plan members, families, and sponsoring organizations.
Why are changes needed?
The combination of escalating health care costs nationwide and declining church membership is creating an affordability crisis with respect to health benefits. We’ve drawn on excess health plan reserves in recent years to contain ELCA cost increases, but trends are now pointing to double-digit rate increases for sponsoring employers. We have a responsibility to take action now to address these challenges so we can preserve stability and care for our plan members.
When will we know more?
Portico will communicate with plan members and sponsoring employers in late spring 2025. Information will be shared here, via email, and at synod assemblies.
What isn’t changing?
Our path forward will continue to follow the principles that make our health plan uniquely suited for ministry. Based on your input, you can continue to count on Portico customer service, personalized health care coordination, a choice of options, nationwide consistency to support clergy mobility, community-based pricing, and a comprehensive package of coverage and wellness programs to support a spectrum of needs.
Will retirement, life, or disability benefits be affected as an outcome of Benefits reExamined?
No. Survey feedback narrowed our focus on health plan affordability. Plan members and employers are largely satisfied with the current retirement, life, and disability benefits. These benefits will remain bundled together with the health plan for members in the Traditional Benefits Program.
What should plan members and sponsoring employers do?
Watch your inbox in late spring 2025 for specifics about what will change and resources to help you understand your options for 2026.
Timeline: What to Expect
Thank you to the 4,100+ sponsored plan members and employer representatives who completed the Benefits reExamined survey and participated in additional research last year. We are preparing to recommend changes this spring that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Benefits reExamined Project Team
A team of Portico and ELCA leaders has been formed to lead this initiative and help keep stakeholders informed of progress.
- The Rev. James Dunlop, Bishop, Lower Susquehanna Synod
- Lori Fedyk, ELCA Treasurer
- The Rev. Hans Becklin, Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reading, PA, and Portico Board of Trustees member
- Stacy Kruse, Portico Chief Operating & Financial Officer
- Lindsey Holman, Portico Sr. Director of Products
- The Rev. Tara Lynn, Portico Regional Representative and ELCA Church Council member
- Kent Roepke, Portico Actuary
