What you need to know about COVID-19.
We join in prayer with others throughout the Church during these challenging times. If you need assistance, call us at 800-773-7752 (800-PRESPLAN). Our service representatives are working remotely to continue to serve you, and we have temporarily modified our business hours to Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. We are not able to receive mail at our 2000 Market Street office while it is closed; please email us at memberservices@pensions.org or send a message through the Benefits Connect message center.
Effective immediately, all three medical options (PPO, EPO, and HDHP) will pay 100 percent of the cost — you pay no deductible, copay, or copayment — for coronavirus testing. If you’re enrolled in Medicare Supplement, Medicare pays 100 percent of the cost for lab testing for the coronavirus.
Under the PPO and EPO options, deductibles and copayments will be waived for inpatient treatment of COVID-19 at a network hospital. Members enrolled in Medicare Supplement also will not be responsible for paying a deductible or copayments for inpatient COVID-19 care at a Medicare-participating hospital. The plan will pay 100 percent of allowable charges after Medicare pays its portion. The Board will re-evaluate this decision every 30 days.
In addition, if you are enrolled in the PPO, EPO, or HDHP option, all copays, deductibles, and copayments when using Teladoc through June 30, 2020, will be waived.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP), administered by Cigna Behavioral Health, is available to members with medical coverage* through the Board of Pensions, their families, and anyone who lives with them.
For members with medical coverage through the Board of Pensions
Many people are experiencing increased stress and anxiety related to the COVID-19 crisis. You are not alone, and help is available. The EAP can help you manage these emotions through free, private counseling sessions. And through September 30, 2020, you now have access to four additional private counseling sessions with a licensed clinician in Cigna's EAP network — for a total of 10 free sessions — to help with stress and anxiety resulting from our current health crisis. These sessions can be virtual on your phone, tablet, or home computer, or face-to-face.
To get started, obtain an EAP code for your first six sessions by calling Cigna Behavioral Health at 866-640-2772 or by clicking on Visit an EAP counselor from the EAP coverage page of Cigna's website (one-time registration is required; use pcusa for Employee’s Employer ID). To take advantage of the four additional sessions, call Cigna for a new EAP code; you cannot obtain a code online for the additional sessions.
For retired members and employees not eligible for the EAP
Cigna is offering a separate 24-hour toll-free help line, to support resiliency during this time of high stress and anxiety. If you're a retired member or an employee who is not eligible for the EAP, you can call 866-912-1687 to connect with qualified clinicians, including licensed social workers, professional counselors, and psychologists, who can provide support and guidance.
*The EAP is not available to members enrolled in Triple-S, GeoBlue, or the Medicare Supplement Plan.
When the American Dental Association lifts restrictions on non-urgent/emergency care, Aetna, the administrator of dental coverage through the Board of Pensions, will provide a three-month grace period for certain services which, under normal circumstances, would no longer be eligible for coverage.
The three-month grace period will apply to members or their children who were unable to have services performed or completed under certain conditions, including appointment cancellations and office closures.
This grace period applies to the following circumstances.
Age limits:
Ending coverage:
If you have questions or need additional information, call Aetna Member Services at 877-238-6200.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, signed March 27) removes the requirement that over-the-counter drugs must be prescribed by a physician to be eligible for reimbursement from a healthcare flexible spending account or health savings account. If you have one of these accounts, you may use money in your account to pay for over-the-counter drugs purchased on or after January 1, 2020.
If, as a result of the pandemic, you are not working, or working fewer hours, or if your care provider/costs change, these qualify as permissible reasons, under current IRS rules, to change your dependent care flexible spending account election.
Laws recently enacted in response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Acts, 2020, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) contain several provisions that, together with measures introduced by the Board and our business partners, affect employee benefits provided through the Board of Pensions, including the Retirement Savings Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Read about these effects on the Retirement Savings Plan.
Fidelity Investments, recordkeeper for the Retirement Savings Plan, provides resources to help navigate these challenging times:
In light of current challenges and delays in receiving medical care and information, disabled members will continue to receive disability payments regardless of whether or not they are able to attend doctor's appointments or provide medical information through May 31. The Board of Pensions and Lincoln Financial Group will continue to reach out to disabled members during this time.
OptumRx, the Board's pharmacy benefits partner, is monitoring the impact across the country from the coronavirus and offering the following information to assist your members located in affected areas.
This coronavirus resource page is designed to answer your diabetes-related questions and let you know what you can do to manage your health. If you have any questions regarding your diabetes care plan, including medications, contact your doctor. 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include*:
*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
If you think you may have been exposed to the coronavirus, or if you are experiencing fever, cough, or shortness of breath, you should
If you have questions or need assistance about the benefits provided by the Board or any of our partners, contact us.
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the country and around the world, one of the best precautionary measures we can take is to arm ourselves with accurate information about the disease as well as an awareness of the resources available to us. Board University brings you the e-learning course COVID-19: What You Need to Know. This course contains a comprehensive overview of the coronavirus to help educate yourself and those around you. Access this course and other Board e-learning through Benefits Connect.