HealthFlex Medical/Dental/Vision

Contacts

Benefits Assistant
(978) 682-7676 ext. 122
 
Wespath Customer Service
800-851-2201
8 am to 6 pm CT
Monday through Friday

Links

Dental Coverage

Vision Coverage

NOTE: This information applies only to HealthFlex participants. United HealthCare Group Medicare Advantage Plan/Guardian Dental participants can use the pages at right to find information on their plans.

HealthFlex Exchange is a group health plan designed for United Methodist clergy and affiliated lay employees and their families. This approach to health coverage gives participants choice, flexibility, and control over how they pay for health care while helping the church facilitate the best health coverage for clergy and lay workers.

HealthFlex 

Have questions about HealthFlex benefits?

Wespath has created this series of short videos to help explain various aspects of your HealthFlex coverage. Watch any or all of them. Find the video series 

Health coverage

The New England Conference offers six plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) through the HealthFlex Exchange:

  • Three of the plan options include Health Savings Accounts (HSA).  
  • Two options include Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA).  
  • One is a traditional preferred provider organization (PPO) plan, B1000 plan, which does not include either type of account.

Learn more about HSA, HRA and FSA accounts   

Some common features of the six plans are:

  • Preventative and wellness services are covered at 100%, with no deductible required.
  • Each has the same network providers and the same prescription drug formularies.
  • All plans include a deductible that must be met before the insurance pays.

More info

Dental coverage

Three Dental Plan – HealthFlex uses Cigna to provide dental coverage. 

  • Passive PPO 2000 
  • Dental PPO
  • Dental DHMO (DHMO is not available to residents of Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont)

The PPO and passive plans use the Cigna Advantage Network. The HMO uses the Cigna Dental Care Access Network.

More info

Vision coverage 

Three vision plans are offered through the provider VSP

  • Premier
  • Full Service
  • Exam Core - $0 cost, basic vision. 

More info

Health Accounts – tax advantage accounts

Tax-advantaged accounts can help you save money for health and dependent care and get reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket costs. These are:

  • Health savings account (HSA)*—included with HSA plans
  • Health reimbursement account (HRA)—included with HRA plans
  • Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)* for dependent care and health care

More info

*HSA contribution requires enrollment in an HSA plan and an attestation that you are eligible for IRS guidelines.

*FSA Health Care when used with HSA plans become limited in use.  Limited to dental and vision expenses only until the participant notifies HealthEquity/WageWorks that the IRS-defined deductible has been met, then for all eligible health care expenses (2023 IRS-defined deductible: $1,500 individual coverage/$3,000 family coverage).

Wellness incentives and programs

From health coaching and nutrition programs to telemedicine and work-life services, HealthFlex supports your health and quality of life, including Virgin Pulse, health coaching, Employee Assistance Program, MDLIVE tele-medicine, Weight Watchers.

  • Blueprint for Wellness Screening
  • Health Check (formerly Health Quotient)
    • Health Check saves you money! Each year when you* complete the Health Check, your medical plan deductible is reduced. *Covered spouses must also participate to get the discount
    • Complete the Health Check by Aug. 31 to save $250 on single coverage or $500 on family coverage in 2024.

More wellness resources:

New England Conference Wellness Incentive

All Active HealthFlex Health Insurance participants and enrolled spouses who have an annual wellness examination (physical) and submit this verification form signed by their physician receive $100 each.

About your plan

Choosing a plan

Participants compare health plans based on pricing and features, then select the option that best meets their needs. 

The Alex online benefits counselor 2023  and the How do I Choose a Plan?  brochure (linked below) are tools to help participants choose the right plan for them. 

Current participants make their selections/changes for the following calendar year during the annual election period (usually the first week to mid-November). 

Those newly eligible for HealthFlex benefits

Those who are newly eligible  for HealthFlex benefits are encouraged to take these steps:

  1. Review the information on this page
  2. Review Wespath regulatory notices 
  3. Utilize the online Alex Benefits Counselor (You will need to indicate that you are newly eligible when using Alex). 
  4. Review How do I Choose a Plan? (above with translations)
  5. Complete the HealthFlex Enrollment/Change Form for Participants within 31-Days*

*Enrollment deadline: HealthFlex selections (using the HealthFlex Enrollment/Change Form) must be made within 31 days of the eligibility date. If no selections are made within the 31-day period, you will be assigned the conference default plan: single employee coverage.  

You will be unable to change your coverage until the next annual election period (November), and any changes to your coverage would not begin until the new program year (January). 

Plan costs

Once you choose your HealthFlex plan, the New England Conference helps you pay for it. The Conference designates a premium credit, a fixed-dollar amount set annually, that participants receive to apply toward their monthly HealthFlex premium. 

The health, dental and vision plan a pastor elects will determine if the pastor must pay a personal contribution toward the Health Insurance premium (Pastor’s Co-Pay) or have an excess premium credit that's contributed into the Health Savings Account or Health Reimbursement Account.

What is the cost to me or excess premium to be contributed to my HSA or HRA?

2023 Health Insurance Co-Pay Rate/Premium Credit Tables

What is the cost to my church?

2023 Church Blended Rate Health Insurance Cost

Accessing your plan

Participants use Benefits Access 

As a participant, you can access your HealthFlex benefits and well-being programs through Benefits Access. Use these links to  log in to or register 

Benefits Access includes your HealthFlex plan details, shows your health account contributions, and provides direct access to medical, dental and vision providers.

You can access the following provider websites from Benefits Access without logging in again: Blue Cross Blue Shield or UnitedHealthcare, OptumRx®, HealthEquity®, and Quest Diagnostics®. You may need to complete a registration step the first time you use a link.

Spouses use Virgin Pulse

Participant spouses can access their well-being programs through Virgin Pulse.