Pittsburgh District Church of the Nazarene

Health care continues to be one of the biggest financial challenges facing a local church that wants to take good care of its pastor and parsonage family. The Pittsburgh District Church of the Nazarene works hard at resourcing the local church in this important area.

The District Plan is with Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield and we have been a client for over 20 years. Our group is a sub-group of United Way and we benefit by being part of this larger group. Our plan is overseen by Health Alliance for Non-Profits, a division of HRH in Pittsburgh. Our benefit advisor is Ms. Paula Symons. She can help you with enrollment and benefit questions. Call her at 1-800-377-3539, ext. 752 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Things to keep in mind:

     1. Each local church "self-contracts" with Highmark BC/BS. It is your responsibility to contact the provider, complete the required paperwork, and pay the premiums.
     2. By definition, each local church is a "group." BC/BS counts each separate policy as a "unit." Therefore, a local church that purchases a family plan for their pastor, spouse, and two children is a single group with one unit. A local church that purchases a plan for the pastor/family and one for an office secretary is a single group with two units.
     3. Premiums are determined by the demographics of the group (i.e., the local church). We understand that this means the premium is determined by the age of the oldest person covered by the plan.
     4. Local churches are not required to use the district plan to purchase health care coverage. There are times when it is advisable to use other providers. For instance, a local church would save money if a spouse works for a company that provides health care to employees and allows employees to add family members for a nominal monthly premium (or sometimes, for free). Or, a local health care agent may be able to find less expensive health care coverage on an individual basis if the pastor/family are in relative good health.
     5. Be aware that pre-existing health conditions and other factors may affect the amount of coverage and the premiums. In some cases, health care coverage may be denied. In this case, the district plan is your best option.
     6. With the district plan, no one can be denied health care coverage or pay a "high risk" premium because of pre-existing conditions.
     7. If you use the district health plan, the district recommends that you consider a high-deductible plan that pays 100% after deductibles are met. We recommend that the local church set up a medical reimbursement plan to pay for the deductible expenses. On average, the local church saves in two ways: the higher deductible plan has lower monthly premiums and, over time, the pastor and family will not use the full deductible. 
     8. The district recommends that all health care costs be covered by the local church. We recognize that some employers are asking employees to pay for some of their own health care; however, in most cases, salaries and other benefits far exceed the salary and benefits of our local pastors. 
     9. By way of example...the district employees, including the district superintendent, are covered by the 100/80 plan with a $2600 deductible. The district operating budget includes an expense line item to cover the deductible as a reimbursible medical expense. In the three years of using this plan type, the district has paid the maximum deductible amount only once. This has a postive impact on our monthly cash flow.

The 2010 BC/BS estimated premium chart is available in PDF file format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free program available from many sources on the internet) to read the file. To download or view the 2010 BC/BS estimated premium chart, please click on the following link:

2010 BCBS Premiums (PDF File)

Please call Paula Symons to get specific information about these plans. In most cases, an application will need to be completed before an exact premium quote can be given.

The district office welcomes suggestions for health care coverage. Be mindful of the fact that the great plan you find may not be a great plan for the entire district. We have to be able to cover pre-existing conditions without putting those people into high-risk (and high-premium) plans. Email your suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .