Learn how to create a supportive wellness culture within your ministry
Building a culture of mental wellness in your ministry is becoming increasingly important in today’s fast-paced, high-stressed world, where both work and life environments are affected when emotional health is neglected. Mental health concerns such as burnout, anxiety and depression can impact worker productivity, engagement and overall well-being.
By creating a culture of wellness, your workers can see that you’re invested in their well-being and you want to help support their mental health. Learn how by watching the recorded webinar “Supporting Mental Health at Work,” presented by Health & Wellness Educator Kelly Menke, during which she’ll discuss:
In addition to this webinar, Concordia Plans has multiple tools and resources that you and your managers can use to help support your workers’ emotional well-being.
Have questions about the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan? Are you interested in an overview of the benefits you’re providing? Attend our upcoming webinar “The Basics of Disability Benefits” May 16 at 1 p.m. CT. to see Director of Benefit Product Solutions Meg Nichols explain the fundamentals of disability benefits. This is the first in a series of educational webinars presented throughout the year.
Join Meg as she explains:
CDSP benefits and plan provisions.
Disability claims process.
Administrative teams.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about disability benefits and have your questions answered.
If you or your workers want to share opinions and ideas with Concordia Plans or have conversations with other employers and members about benefits, head over to the Sounding Board. It’s an open forum where you can ask questions, share in discussions and give CPS valuable insights so we can offer you the benefits and solutions YOU need and want.
Sounding Board is hosted on the CPS Shareboard website. After you log in or create an account on the Shareboard homepage, go to Communities/My Communities and click on “CPS Sounding Board.”
If you use the current Employer Portal, please note that the site is retiring May 8. If you need or want copies of your online reports, we encourage you to log in and download them now as this site will no longer be accessible after May 8.
New portal experiences coming May 9
Concordia Plans is dedicated to improving processes, procedures and customer experiences based on ministry feedback to better serve the LCMS community. As part of this commitment, we’re introducing a new Member Portal and Employer Portal May 9.
We realize benefit administration is not a one-size-fits all solution. Our goal is to simplify benefit administration, while continuing to provide you with the direction and support you need to manage your Concordia Plans.
We are segmenting the new Employer Portal rollout based on many factors, including a ministry’s previous interaction with the online benefits administration system. Ministries will initially be given access to the new Employer Portal based on previous usage:
Some employers will not access the Employer Portal at all due to low usage, and they do not need to learn a new system. These employers prefer to contact us directly.
Some employers will have access to view and pay online invoices and pull reports.
Remaining employers can access the portal to administer benefits as well as online invoices and reporting.
As mentioned, these groupings were based on several factors; however, we want to provide the best customer experience for your situation. If you are interested in exploring a different option from those listed above, please reach out to us. Your ministry was sent an email invitation to a webinar based on the initial segmentation. If you did not receive this webinar invitation or if you feel a different portal access level is needed for your ministry, please contact your Account Manager or CPS at 888-927-7526.
The new Member Portal also launches May 9 and will be available to all members. Once the new Member Portal is live, members will be sent an informational email including login instructions.
CPS Administrative Updates
In our recent webinars, we shared administrative updates. Here are a few reminders of what to expect:
Starting in June, a Member Cost Report will be enclosed with your mailed invoices. This report will help ensure you deduct the right amount from your workers’ paychecks. Along with this new report, you will receive a guide on how to read the report.
New Group-Term Life insurance (imputed income) reporting will begin in July. Watch for announcements regarding what’s changing!
We’ll continue to send you emails notifying you of changes to member benefit elections and CRSP 403(b) contributions (if applicable).
The online Annual Compensation Report (ACR) tool is no longer available. If you still need to submit your 2023 ACR, please contact CPS for a printed form to provide 2023 salaries to a CPS representative. Watch for details later this year regarding 2024 salary submissions.
Based on current COVID-19 trends, the Department of Health and Human Services is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, to expire at 12 a.m. May 11.
Please note how these benefits will be administered through the CHP starting May 12:
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will be covered at 100% under Preventive Care benefits.
COVID-19 testing provided at a facility will be covered under the diagnostic lab benefit with members’ applicable cost share (deductible/copay/coinsurance) applied.
Over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits will no longer be covered under the Concordia Health Plan.
Once the federal government ceases to supply antiviral drugs such as Paxlovid and Molnupiravir at no cost, the CHP will cover with these drugs with members’ applicable cost share (deductible/copay/coinsurance) applied.
New call at your ministry?
April was an exciting time for ministries as they learned of the new pastors and deaconesses who have been called to help in the ministry. We’re certain it will be a busy time as they prepare to join you shortly!
But what about benefits? Do you have what you need to successfully welcome your new workers? We encourage you to check out our “Welcoming a Worker Toolkit,” which is stocked with resources to help you successfully bring new hires onto your team.
Of course, if you have any questions, you can reach out to your Account Manager or contact Concordia Plans at [email protected] or 888-927-7526.
Taking the time to do things that help workers live well and improve both their mental and physical health is important. It’s known as self-care. Your workers have been asked to join Concordia Plans Health & Wellness Educator Kelly Menke at 10 a.m. May 11 for a webinar that will focus on mental health, specifically stress, and where self-care fits in our walk with Jesus.
Life changes – planned and unforeseen – can interrupt the security of a paycheck. Whether those interruptions are the joyful addition of a child or something difficult such as an illness or injury, the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan provides an income benefit to make sure the financial burden of the world doesn't distract from your worker’s ability to recover.
We encourage you to remind your workers of these important benefits.
Here’s a snapshot of the emails we’ll send your workers this month (they may also receive additional communications from our vendors):
Mental Health
Your workers will be sent a weekly mental health message to encourage and equip them in various ways during Mental Health Month.
For all our LCMS school workers and teachers, we appreciate you and celebrate you during Teacher Appreciation Week May 8-12!
Member Portal
Once the new Member Portal goes live in May, your workers will be sent an email and mailer giving them the information they need to set up their accounts. Unlike the different employer groups, all members will have access to their Concordia Plans Member Portal, but they will need to re-register as a new user on the new platform. Help will be posted at ConcordiaPlans.org/PortalHelp.
Weight Management with Wondr
Nearly 12,000 Concordia Plans members have participated in this skill-building, weight loss program and report a boost in confidence, energy, improved sleep and sustained weight loss. A new Wondr class opens for registration May 5 and closes May 28, with the class beginning just in time for summer June 12. Workers will be sent emails and a postcard in the mail inviting them to register.
Retirement Connection
Do you have any workers planning to retire soon? You may want to encourage them to log in to the current Member Portal THIS WEEK before it switches over to the new one … that way, they can do a Quick Registration for Retirement Connection through the existing single sign-on (SSO), which will make it easier for them to access it down the road.