The annual budget review feels pretty familiar. Spreadsheets, line items, and tough decisions are par for the course. And somewhere near the top, a number appears that's slightly higher than last year.
It's the health plan.
Churches take stewardship seriously and understand that value goes beyond price. But health insurance tends to get renewed, not reviewed. Not because committees are careless, but because no one handed them the right questions.
If your staff has never complained about their coverage, it's easy to assume the plan is earning its keep. But that assumption is worth testing. Staff don't complain about benefits they don't understand, or benefits they've given up trying to use.
This is where to start.
1. What drives yearly rate increases, and how do they compare to what other churches experience?
Most churches have no frame of reference for their renewal number. Is 8% high? Is 12% normal? When you’re evaluating in a vacuum, all you can know is that it’s “more.” Your provider or broker should be able to explain it. If they can't, you may be missing part of the picture.
2. Does our network cover where our staff lives?
In-network coverage only matters if the network reaches the people who need it. A plan with strong coverage in a major metro may leave a pastor in a rural congregation with limited in-network options nearby.
An out-of-network visit can cost two to three times more than an in-network one. For a pastor's family in a rural area, that difference adds up fast.
Ask your provider or check your benefits guide to confirm that access to in-network primary care and specialists is within reasonable reach for your staff.
3. Does our plan cover mental health the same way it covers everything else?
The data on pastors' mental health is hard to ignore. According to a 2024 Barna study, nearly one in five senior pastors at Protestant churches reported contemplating self-harm or suicide in the past year. Nearly half report feeling lonely or isolated. Most aren't talking to anyone about it.
Traditional insurance plans are built to cover mental health the same way they cover physical health. But not all plans are traditional insurance. Health sharing ministries operate outside those requirements. If your church uses one, it's worth asking what mental health coverage looks like in practice.
4. How easy is it for our staff to get answers when something goes wrong?
The quality of your provider's support matters more than anything on the plan summary sheet. When a bill doesn’t make sense or a claim gets denied, it's vital to have a real person to turn to who isn’t hidden behind chatbots and endless hold music.
Ask how staff get help with insurance questions and what the experience typically looks like. A provider that understands the ministry context will handle those conversations differently than one that doesn't.
5. Does our provider understand how ministry compensation works?
Housing allowances, bi-vocational arrangements, and part-time church staff create compensation situations that most providers rarely see. One who hasn't worked within a church setting may not understand the nuances of church administration.
It’s important to ask whether the provider you are evaluating has experience with faith-based organizations. The answer affects everything from eligibility to how renewal conversations are framed.
6. When did we last evaluate this plan, and not just renew it?
These questions are a starting point. If you found yourself unable to answer a few of them, that's useful information.
RBA's Church Health Insurance Assessment is built for exactly this conversation. It delivers an overall assessment for your current plan that is broken down by section. That matters because a plan can score well overall and still have a real gap in one area. Communication, network access, ministry fit: each gets its own score.
Complete it before your next renewal conversation. Walk in with a gap analysis instead of a gut feeling.
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. Please seek professional advice before acting on anything you've read above.