We are here to serve you and will continue to do so as we manage this crisis together.
This article was updated August 3, 2020, with information about costs when using Teladoc.
The Board of Pensions joins the prayers of others throughout the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as we seek the faithfulness, strength, calm, and compassion to navigate the new coronavirus, COVID-19. We are reaching out to assure you that we are here to serve you and will continue to do so as we manage this crisis together.
For the well-being of our employees and anyone they might encounter during their daily commutes to and from our Philadelphia offices, we have asked them to work remotely. We have suspended all conferences, seminars, and other gatherings for eight weeks in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pension payments will continue uninterrupted. We remind our members and beneficiaries of the Pension Plan that their monthly checks are not dependent upon the daily or even yearly investment performance of the Board of Pensions Balanced Investment Portfolio. The portfolio is structured and invested for the long term.
It is business as usual for our vendor partners, including Blue Cross Blue Shield and OptumRx, and medical coverage continues uninterrupted. Further, the PPO, EPO, and HDHP will pay 100 percent of the cost for coronavirus testing. For retirees who depend on Medicare for their primary coverage, Medicare Part B pays 100 percent of testing cost. For PPO, EPO, and HDHP enrollees, all copays when using Teladoc will be waived. The Board will re-evaluate this decision every 30 days.
Our service representatives are available as normal, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, at 800-773-7752 (800-PRESPLAN) or, outside the U.S., at 215-587-7200. (For TTY: 877-522-7948.) Benefits, personal information, and online tools are available 24/7 through Benefits Connect. You can also contact us through the Benefits Connect message center or by emailing memberservices@pensions.org. No U.S. mail will be processed by the Board of Pensions while our offices are closed; if you need to contact us, please do so through phone or email.
Our Church Consultants are telephoning mid councils and others with whom they have relationships to answer questions and check on whether assistance is needed. Going forward, if individual churches experience a hardship related to Benefits Plan dues, they should contact the Board. Coverage for their members would continue during any such hardship.
Finally, one-time emergency assistance is available for emergency or unexpected needs that exceed Benefits Plan or other coverage. The Board provides this assistance in connection with an employer or mid council.
As the global response to this crisis evolves, we will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed. Please visit our coronavirus resources page for updated information on the coronavirus as well as on Board of Pensions operations. We urge you to be prudent, acting in the best interest of your health and that of others.
