Retired ministers, church workers and spouses who get their Medicare coverage through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are headed for a new insurer next year. The church’s Board of Pensions is ending its Humana Medicare plans after 2026. Retirees enrolled in them are set to land in a different company’s plan on the first day of 2027 unless they say otherwise.
The question for a Board of Pensions retiree is whether their doctors and drugs are covered under the new UnitedHealthcare group plan and Express Scripts before Jan. 1.
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What changes on January 1, 2027
The Board of Pensions says that effective Jan. 1, 2027, post-retirement medical coverage will come through the UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage PPO Plan, which it describes as a passive PPO plan. Part D prescription drug coverage will come through Express Scripts.
The new coverage replaces two Humana plans: the Humana Group Medicare Advantage PPO and the Humana Group Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. A Medicare Advantage plan is, in Medicare’s own words, a Medicare-approved plan from a private company that offers an alternative to Original Medicare.
Who moves automatically
Retirees participating in the Humana Group Medicare Advantage PPO plan and the Humana Group Medicare Prescription Drug Plan as of Dec. 31, 2026, will be enrolled in the new coverage for 2027 automatically unless they opt out. The Board’s July 22, 2026 announcement says the same applies to retired members and spouses enrolled in the Humana plan.
That means no sign-up form is needed for people who want the new plan. Anyone who prefers different coverage has to act on their own, and the Board’s pages do not spell out the opt-out steps. Member Services handles those questions at 800-PRESPLAN (800-773-7752), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
Why the Humana plan is ending
In a March 26, 2026 update, the Board said changes to how the federal government pays Medicare Advantage plans created market volatility. That led to a renegotiated contract with Humana and a mutual agreement to end it after 2026. The Board added that the cost of keeping the plan rose unexpectedly.
Humana coverage ends Dec. 31, 2026. The Board said it had kept the monthly premium at $0 in 2025 and 2026 by drawing on reserves, and that it could not sustainably offset the cost in 2027.
What the plan costs in 2027
Retirees will pay no monthly premium for 2027, according to the Board. The actual cost is $284 per member per month, and the Board says it will fully subsidize that amount for the year.
Member costs and any subsidy for 2028 will be announced next summer, the Board says. People planning around 2028 budgets will not have a figure until then.
The open enrollment window
Medicare open enrollment runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, and the Board’s announcement points to that period as the time for members to make a 2027 coverage decision. Because the automatic move is the default, the window is when a retiree who wants another plan would act.
The Board’s pages do not list UnitedHealthcare network details or Express Scripts pharmacy details beyond the company names. Retirees who want to know whether a specific doctor or medication is covered will need the plan materials the Board has said it will send, or a call to Member Services. The Board’s main site is the free starting point for notices, forms and contact details.
The Board’s page also reminds members that they must continue to keep Medicare Parts A and B and pay their Medicare Part B premium.
Will the doctors and drugs a Board of Pensions retiree uses still be covered after January 1?
A retiree who lets the automatic move happen without confirming doctors and prescriptions can find out in January that a favorite specialist or a regular medication is handled differently. The enrollment window closes Dec. 7, and the Board has not published network or pharmacy details beyond the company names.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
