Ministers Bridge Coverage

Eligibility

You may enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage for up to 24 months when your Benefits Plan membership ends if you are a recently graduated seminary student or enrolled in the Covenant Package, Congregational Pastors Package, or Transitional Pastor’s Participation and are:

• a PC(USA) minister of the Word and Sacrament actively seeking a new church service
• a graduated seminary student actively seeking church service
• enrolled for full-time church-related studies, or
• a PC(USA) minister subject to a disciplinary process that leads to a temporary leave or unemployment

You must enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage within 60 days of your benefits termination date. You may not continue Retirement Savings Plan contributions through Ministers Bridge Coverage.

Cost

You choose whether to pay for Ministers Bridge Coverage based on the median effective salary or your most recent effective salary (subject to minimums and maximums for medical coverage). Note that severance payments are included in effective salary.

Important! You should carefully consider which amount to be billed on. If you pay based on the median salary, the cost of medical coverage (if applicable) and/or pension and death and disability coverage could be lower. However, pension credit accruals and disability benefits would be based on the median salary as well, not on your actual effective salary. This could result in accruing fewer pension credits during this time and/or a lower disability benefit, if applicable.

Seminary graduates are billed for Ministers Bridge Coverage based on the minimum annual dues for medical coverage.

See Median and effective salary.

Covenant Package

If you are enrolled in the Covenant Package when your Benefits Plan membership ends, you may enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage on a self-pay basis for the following benefits:

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Temporary Disability Plan
• Death and Disability Plan

If you were enrolled in medical coverage through the Benefits Plan, when your employer-paid benefits end, you may enroll for medical continuation. See medical continuation coverage for cost and coverage details. 

Additional benefits not included in your benefits package may be eligible for continued enrollment if they were in effect on the date your employer-paid benefits ended.

Enrollment

Carefully review the letter you receive from the Board of Pensions to ensure the benefits termination date quoted is correct; it may be different from your last day worked. Severance packages that include a continuation of employer-paid benefits extend the benefits termination date.

To complete the enrollment process:

• You must complete the Ministers Bridge Coverage Enrollment form (Covenant Package) included in the termination materials you receive.
  
• Your presbytery must provide written verification that you are unemployed and include the reason for Ministers Bridge Coverage enrollment (e.g., you are seeking church-related service, are a full-time student, or are currently under discipline).
  
• If enrolled in full-time postgraduate studies, you must also provide written verification from the school confirming your full-time status in an advanced-degree program.

If you choose not to enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage, you will automatically receive one month of death benefits coverage at no cost to you or your employer.

Congregational Pastors Package

If you are enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package when your Benefits Plan membership ends, you may enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage on a self-pay basis for the following benefits:

• PPO medical coverage
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Temporary Disability Plan
• Death and Disability Plan

Additional benefits not included in your benefits package may be eligible for continued enrollment if they were in effect on the date your employer-paid benefits ended.

Enrollment

Once eligible service ends, the Congregational Pastors Package provides for one month of medical coverage for you and your eligible family members who were enrolled in the package at no cost to you or your employer. Ministers Bridge Coverage begins after any no-cost coverage period.

Carefully review the letter you receive from the Board of Pensions to ensure the benefits termination date quoted is correct; it may be different from your last day worked. Severance packages that include a continuation of employer-paid benefits extend the benefits termination date.

To complete the enrollment process:

• You must complete the Ministers Bridge Coverage Enrollment form (Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation) included in the termination materials you receive.
  
• Your presbytery must provide written verification that you are unemployed and include the reason for Ministers Bridge Coverage enrollment (e.g., you are seeking church-related service, are a full-time student, or are currently under discipline).
• If enrolled in full-time postgraduate studies, you must also provide written verification from the school confirming your full-time status in an advanced-degree program.

Once coverage through Ministers Bridge Coverage is exhausted, you may enroll for medical continuation coverage. See medical continuation coverage for cost and coverage details.

If you choose not to enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage, you and your eligible family members who were enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package will automatically receive one month of medical and death benefits coverage at no cost to you or your employer.

Transitional Pastor’s Participation

If you are enrolled in Transitional Pastor’s Participation when your Benefits Plan membership ends, you may enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage on a self-pay basis for the following benefits:

• PPO family medical
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Temporary Disability Plan
• Death and Disability Plan

Additional benefits not included in your benefits package may be eligible for continued enrollment if they were in effect on the date your employer-paid benefits ended.

Enrollment

Once eligible service ends, Transitional Pastor's Participation provides for one month of medical coverage at no cost to you or your employer. Ministers Bridge Coverage begins after any no-cost coverage period.

Carefully review the letter you receive from the Board of Pensions to ensure the benefits termination date quoted is correct; it may be different from your last day worked. Severance packages that include a continuation of employer-paid benefits extend the benefits termination date.

To complete the enrollment process:

• You must complete the Ministers Bridge Coverage Enrollment form (Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation) included in the termination materials you receive.
• Your presbytery must provide written verification that you are unemployed and include the reason for Ministers Bridge Coverage enrollment (e.g., you are seeking church-related service, you are a full-time student, or you are currently under discipline).
• If enrolled in full-time postgraduate studies, you must also provide written verification from the school confirming your full-time student status in an advanced-degree program.

Once coverage through Ministers Bridge is exhausted, you may enroll for medical continuation coverage. See medical continuation coverage for cost and coverage details.

If you choose not to enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage, you will automatically receive one month of medical and death benefits coverage at no cost to you or your employer.

Graduated seminary students

If you were enrolled in the Benefits Plan during seminary, you may enroll in Ministers Bridge Coverage to continue medical coverage after graduation. Carefully review the letter you receive from the Board of Pensions to ensure the benefits termination date quoted is correct.

To complete the enrollment process:

• You must complete the Ministers Bridge Coverage Enrollment form (Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor's Participation) included in the termination materials you receive.
• Your presbytery must provide written verification that you are unemployed and include the reason for Ministers Bridge Coverage enrollment (e.g., you are seeking church-related service, you are a full-time student, or you are currently under discipline).
• If enrolled in full-time postgraduate studies, you must also provide written verification from the school confirming your full-time status in an advanced-degree program.

Once coverage through Ministers Bridge is exhausted, you may enroll for medical continuation. See medical continuation coverage for cost and coverage details.

Considerations

If you do not want to continue coverage for yourself or eligible family members after your service ends, you do not need to do anything.

Please note, if you do not continue coverage and were enrolled in the:

• Covenant Package: You will receive one month of death benefits coverage at no cost.
• Congregational Pastors Package or Transitional Pastor’s Participation: You will receive one month of medical coverage and one month of death benefits coverage at no cost to you or your employer.

Keep in mind, however, if you do not enroll for Ministers Bridge Coverage, you may not be eligible to enroll in medical continuation through the Board of Pensions later. Call the Board at 800-PRESPLAN (800-773-7752) (TTY: 711) for details.