Eligibility

The Concordia Plans are employer-sponsored benefit programs. You can enroll only if your LCMS employer participates in the benefit programs. An employer makes the decision whether to participate in the Plans for its workers. The employer can adopt one of two benefit packages:

• The Church's Plan, which consists of the Concordia Health Plan, Concordia Retirement Plan, Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan, and Concordia Retirement Savings Plan.
• Package 3, which consists of the Concordia Retirement Plan and Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan.

Package 2, which consists of the Concordia Health Plan, Concordia Retirement Plan, and Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan, is a grandfathered/closed group that is available only for employers offering these three Concordia Plans prior to January 1, 2006.

Package 4, which consists of the Concordia Health Plan, is also a grandfathered/closed group that is available for employers offering only the Concordia Health Plan prior to July 1, 2005.

Enrollment in all Plans is effective the first day of the month following the employment date. If employed on the first day of the month, enrollment will be on the first day of the following month. Workers who request enrollment for themselves or a dependent in the CHP after the first date of eligibility will be subject to the special enrollment requirements or must wait until an open enrollment period is provided in the CHP.

Enrollment is not automatic. A completed Enrollment Form must be submitted to the Concordia Plan Services office.

If an employer has adopted the Concordia Retirement Plan (CRP) and the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan (CDSP), all full-time workers, regardless of age, sex, occupation, or faith, must be enrolled in these two Plans. "Full time" for the CRP and CDSP is any worker employed more than 20 hours per week and more than five months per year.

If an employer has adopted the Concordia Health Plan (CHP), all full-time workers, regardless of age, sex, occupation, or faith, must be offered the opportunity to enroll themselves and any eligible dependents. “Full time” for the Concordia Health Plan is any worker employed more than 20, 25, or 30 hours per week, as designated by the employer, and more than five months per year.

An optional Accident Insurance Program (AIP) is available to all full-time workers. Workers are eligible to enroll if their employer is participating in at least one of the Concordia Plans. Enrollment is effective the first day of the month following receipt of the worker’s enrollment form.

CHP:

• Full-time – Any worker employed more than 20, 25, or 30 hours, as designated by the employer, and more than 5 consecutive months per year, is eligible for CHP coverage.
• Part-time – Any worker employed 20, 25, or 30 hours or less, according to the employer’s designation.
• Temporary – Any worker employed 5 months or less is ineligible to participate.

If an employer makes no designation, the default rule of "more than 20 hours" will apply to its workers. To use the "more than 25 hours" or "more than 30 hours" definition, an employer must complete a Declaration of Hours Form and submit it to Concordia Plan Services.

CRP/CDSP:

• Full-time – Any worker employed more than 20 hours per week and more than 5 months per year.
• Part-time – Any worker employed 20 hours or less per week is ineligible to participate.
• Temporary – Any worker employed 5 consecutive months or less is ineligible to participate.