Effective Jan. 1, 2027, an additional dues subsidy will be available for congregational pastoral leaders enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package to help alleviate the cost of dependent child medical coverage. The subsidy will cover 50% of the national, community-rated medical cost for dependent children, reducing the overall cost of Member + Child(ren) and Member + Family coverage levels in the package. The Congregational Pastors Package is designed to support congregational pastoral leaders, including installed pastors, through its comprehensive benefits that foster wholeness.  

Additionally, Transitional Pastor’s Participation and its inherent subsidies for family medical coverage in the preferred provider option (PPO) will extend through 2029. This extension gives congregations and ministers two more years to transition to the Congregational Pastors Package.   

“Support for congregations, pastors, and families remains an agency priority,” said Andrew J. Browne, Executive Vice President, Engagement & Church Relations. “Through our ongoing collaboration with representatives from the Association of Mid Council Leaders, we continue to drive efforts to support congregational ministry. We are grateful for their partnership.” 

The Board of Pensions continues to monitor medical cost trends and will release 2027 dues for both packages and spouse and dependent child medical coverage costs in July. Income-sensitive dues within the packages enable smaller, lesser-resourced congregations to provide benefits to their pastoral leaders for less than the actual cost of medical coverage. Both packages include the PPO option of the Medical Plan, which provides additional subsidies in the form of income-sensitive deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.  

A new Child Care Support grant from the Assistance Program will be available April 1, 2026 to offset a portion of child care needs for children ages 0-6 years. The initial pilot phase of this grant will provide $500 per month per child and up to $1,500 per month per family. This grant supports PC(USA) ministers of the Word and Sacrament and commissioned pastors employed by PC(USA) congregations whose effective salary is less than $56,880 and who meet other eligibility requirements.   

The Assistance Program provides need-based grants to eligible active and retired members of the Benefits Plan. With 12 available grants supporting a range of unique needs, the Assistance Program embodies our connectional Church at its best. In 2025, the Assistance Program awarded more than 1,500 grants, totaling $8 million. 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Board of Pensions will offer three additional Medical Plan options for members or non-installed ministers who are not enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation: an additional PPO, EPO, and HDHP. Members, spouses, and dependent children enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation will continue to be offered the Board’s current PPO plan. The three new options will have the same features as the existing options with different out-of-pocket costs. 

More details on the additional plan options will be available in the summer.  

Rising healthcare costs remain a challenge as the Board of Pensions looks for ways to support congregations and pastoral leaders. As a nonprofit benefits provider, the Board underwrites benefits at zero profit. None of the service providers it contracts with has an interest in denying or delaying care, as the Board pays all claims and makes all plan decisions. 

The Benefits Plan of the PC(USA) operates as a self‑funded, pay‑as‑you‑go plan that relies on employer dues to pay these costs. To manage costs, it joins purchasing coalitions with other denominations to negotiate more advantageous pricing for different aspects of the Medical Plan, including administrative services and prescription drugs.  

“When expenses exceed dues, the Board uses designated reserves to help absorb volatility and maintain plan stability,” said Todd Ingves, Vice President, Health & Well-Being. “These strategies help keep coverage consistent amid an increasingly unpredictable healthcare landscape.”  

“The Board of Pensions is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen our support for all those we serve,” Mr. Browne said. “Ensuring that our benefits remain accessible and affordable and reflect the diverse needs of our members and their families is essential to our mission. These enhancements to the Benefits Plan, along with expanded dues subsidies, reflect that commitment to care.”