LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 48

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48

SYNOD REPORTS

increased to $300 per person and included a special bonus of $50 for
consistent physical activity over 24 consecutive weeks.
Be Well Rewards Health and Wellness Incentive Program
2011

2012

Earned by
Shared with their
Earned by
CHP members* CHP employers CHP members*

$1,743,000

$1,583,000

$3,215,000

Shared with
their CHP employers

$2,798,000

*Early retirees and other individual participants who are no longer
working for LCMS employers are eligible to earn rewards through
the program; therefore, rewards distributed to members is higher
than those shared with employers.
The program, including the matching rewards for LCMS employers, continues for 2013 with a $300 reward maximum and additional
bonus reward opportunities for participants.
CPS is proud to provide a program specifically designed to support LCMS ministries by helping LCMS workers and their families
to Be Well so that they may Serve Well. It is also a blessing to be able
to share the rewards with the employers of those workers who are participating in the program.
Awards and Recognitions
2012 Healthiest Employer Award

Concordia Plan Services was honored to be a finalist in the 2012
Healthiest Employer contest held by the St. Louis Business Journal.
The Healthiest Employer Awards recognize companies and nonprofit
entities that commit to making wellness a priority and proactively
shape the health of their employees.
CPS has made a commitment to encouraging health and wellness among all Concordia Health Plan members and understands the
importance of encouraging healthy living for our staff as well.
Our wellness programs have had a positive impact on our corporate culture. A weight loss challenge resulted in a total reduction
of 570 pounds for our employees. Over 80% of our staff completed
a mile-by-mile marathon, in which participants walked or ran 26.2
miles over 6 weeks. About 50% also signed up for a walking or
running event during the Go St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness
weekend events.
A survey revealed that, as a result of our health and wellness
initiative and rewards program, 7% of employees are taking fewer
medications, 65% are controlling or improving an existing health condition, 25% have lowered their cholesterol, 27% have lowered their
blood pressure, 85% are making healthier food and drink choices,
and 87% are engaging in more physical activity.
Communications Awards

Several CPS publications and communication campaigns received
MarCom Awards over the reporting period, including the Benefits
Bulletin, our plan administrative guide series for employers, special
newsletters, and our National Save for Retirement Week promotional
campaign. MarCom Awards is an international competition for marketing and communication professionals.
In addition, a CPS promotional postcard campaign designed to
increase participation in the Concordia Retirement Savings Plan was
honored with an IABC Bronze Quill award in 2011. The award, presented by the St. Louis chapter of the International Association of
Business Communicators, recognizes excellence in communication
marketing and planning efforts.
2013 Convention Workbook

Looking to the Future
Recession and Economic Environment Impact on CPS: The Plans
continue to face challenges presented by ongoing volatility and uncertainty in the economy, both domestic and global. However, CPS
remains focused on delivering products and services designed to
meet the benefit needs of Concordia Plans members, while practicing biblically-based stewardship principles.
• Changes to the Concordia Retirement Program Benefits Effective
July 1, 2014: In February, 2013, the LCMS Board of Directors, approved changes to the Concordia Retirement Plan and Concordia
Retirement Savings Plan that will go into effect on July 1, 2014. The
changes will preserve the stability of the core CRP pension benefit.
The modifications were necessary to address external factors that
have impacted retirement plans nationwide both public and private.
These include: (1) severity of the global financial crisis in 2008; (2) the
recovery period since 2008 has outlasted historical norms; (3) ministries
have been affected through reduced contributions and higher costs.
Concordia Plan Services’ goal is to preserve the core of the retirement plan and to sustain the Plan for tomorrow’s members. This means
there will be no changes for current retirees or surviving spouses and
current plan members maintain retirement benefits they have already
earned. The core monthly pension will not be affected.
Among the modifications that will take effect July 1, 2014, are adjustments for early retirement, changes to the death benefit and supplementary benefits, and adjusting the normal retirement age to generally
conform with normal Social Security retirement age. In addition, the
Concordia Retirement Savings Plan (CRSP) –403(b) will no longer require an employer match.
For complete details and all the changes, please see the special CRP
Update link on the CPS website: www.ConcordiaPlans.org.
We have made the decision to take these steps after significant analysis and careful consideration of what it means to the LCMS workers
and their families. As we continue to walk together, we believe updating
the CPS retirement program benefits now will put us on a prudent and
appropriate path toward preserving the core retirement benefit, sustaining the plan’s financial strength for the long term, and providing retirement benefits to the thousands of fellow workers (past and present) and
the next generation.
• Health Care Reform—Status and Impact on CPS: Since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, there have been several key
decisions and benefit changes made regarding the Concordia Health
Plan, some mentioned earlier in this report. The list will continue to
grow as effective dates for applicable requirements draw near and
additional guidance is issued. We continue to eva luate the legislation and have strategies in place designed to move the CHP into
a position of sustainability for 2014 and beyond. In addition, we
continue our participation in the Church Alliance, which gives us a
voice with Washington lawmakers and the White House.
• MyCPS.org: In efforts to enhance member and employer communication and education, and improve Plan administration, CPS is introducing an online services portal in 2013 and into 2014. Through
MyCPS.org members will see a customized display of enrollment
information and use a single entry point to access personal information through benefit partners such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and
Cigna. The portal will also offer members and employers the capability to perform certain transactions and activities online, thereby
reducing paper transactions. Functionality under the portal will be
rolled out and communicated in phases over the next few years.
• The CPS Brand: In 2012, CPS embarked on a journey to evaluate
and build the CPS brand. Survey and focus group results revealed
that while CPS customers are aware of and satisfied with our products and services, there is a need to raise awareness of why CPS
exists, who we are, and how we can best serve the ministries of the
LCMS. CPS is striving to move beyond just a benefits provider to be
an essential mission partner and trusted resource.
•