It is my hope that you understand that MI Benefits Guy and the Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits (CBOPHB) take the work of caring for the clergy in our Conference seriously.
One of our largest benefits is a health insurance plan for our full-time active clergy. We have seen rising costs in our active health care plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and have been working to address them.
For the past three years, we have raised premiums, after almost a decade of no increase. This was one way we attempted to meet rising costs. However, we know this is hard on churches and clergy. We will increase premiums again in 2027 by 3%, which is lower than the increases in past years. At the same time, we have realized that raising premiums isn’t enough.
It became apparent that we needed to change our plan to try to absorb some of those costs. In 2026, we adjusted the plan by increasing the coinsurance from 10% to 20%. This put our plan more in line with plans nationwide.
In 2027, we are adjusting our deductible. It is currently $500 per individual and $1000 per household. In 2027, it will move to $750 per individual and $1500 per household. While nothing is official for 2028 yet, we anticipate moving this to $1000 per individual and $2000 per household in 2028.
I want you to understand that we know these costs hit the clergy themselves. This is why the CBOPHB has worked for a long time to keep our deductibles where they were. However, we are now in a place where it’s necessary to make that change. Additionally, nationwide, deductibles are almost $2000 for an individual. Yes, you read that right, for an individual. We are still providing a very good plan for our clergy while at the same time making it more sustainable.
I also want you to know that as we make these changes and clergy absorb these costs, if you find yourself struggling financially, please reach out to our office. We still maintain funds for clergy who experience an unexpected financial emergency.
We are deeply committed to continuing to provide the best care we can for our clergy, even as we make these changes. If you ever have questions, please reach out to me. After all, I’m MI Benefits Guy!
Last Updated on October 8, 2026