The Denominational Health Plan
Since its inception in 2009, the Denominational Health Plan (DHP) has offered valuable healthcare coverage to members. Meanwhile, The Episcopal Church Medical Trust (Medical Trust) has delivered on its responsibilities to manage overall healthcare costs, work with The Episcopal Church to achieve parity in cost-sharing between clergy and lay employees, and reduce healthcare cost disparities among dioceses.
On this page:
The Value of the DHP | Controlling Costs and Cost Disparities | The DHP Taskforce | DHP Annual Reports
A Great Asset to Those Who Serve the Church - the Denominational Health Plan
Meaningful Choice
The DHP allows dioceses greater flexibility to choose among options offered than would corporate plans or state-based exchanges. Medical Trust options include platinum, gold, and silver plans and two pharmacy plan designs.
Comprehensive Benefits
The DHP offers vision and hearing benefits, an Employee Assistance Program, travel medical assistance, health advocacy, and optional dental plans.
Broad Networks
The DHP continues to offer plans with broad national networks (Anthem and Cigna) plus a regional plan (Kaiser), whereas the networks of state-based exchanges are more limited. Although state plans may feature lower premiums, they do so at the expense of benefits, participant choice, and access.
Controlling Healthcare Costs and Reducing Cost Disparity
The Medical Trust recognizes that healthcare can create financial burdens for members, and its efforts to manage costs have kept DHP premium increases on the lower end of national trends.
Resolution 2012-B026 reaffirmed the Denominational Health Plan and encouraged the Medical Trust to explore alternative strategies to arrive at a more equitable sharing of healthcare costs across the Church.
CPG continues to work on minimizing health plan cost disparities among dioceses and explore opportunities to improve member benefits and further manage costs.
Task Force to Advise the Church on the DHP
The 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church passed Resolution 2022-D034 establishing the Task Force to Advise the Church on the Denominational Health Plan (DHP Task Force) for the purpose of reviewing the structure and offerings of the DHP and reporting back to the 81st General Convention with a list of options to reduce healthcare costs across the Church and a full explanation of the reasoning, costs, and benefits of each option.
Following this review, the DHP Task Force made several observations and recommendations to continue managing overall healthcare costs and achieve parity in cost-sharing between clergy and lay employees while still balancing high-quality benefits with financial stewardship for the Church. The DHP Task Force also introduced other factors (e.g., ability to pay) for considering how to share cost burdens across the Church. The DHP Task Force’s recommendations, as well as the independent actuarial report supporting its work, were included in the 81st General Convention Blue Book.
DHP Legislation & Plan Model
Resolutions passed by the 76th and 77th General Conventions established and affirmed the Denominational Health Plan and the Plan Model.
Get more information on the resolutions and model.Read the full 2024 DHP Annual Report
While the DHP continues to meet its objectives, the Medical Trust nonetheless recognizes that healthcare can create financial burdens, and it remains focused on addressing costs and providing consistent service and broad access to high-quality benefits, thus balancing compassionate care with financial stewardship for the Church.
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