About Our Plans
Portico Benefit Services provides health, flexible spending, retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible members. Benefit plans are governed and administered individually through separate plan documents.
The ELCA Board of Pensions, doing business as Portico Benefit Services, maintains the following plans:
- ELCA Medical and Dental Benefits Plan (which includes the ELCA post-retirement medical benefits obligation)
- ELCA Flexible Benefits Plan
- ELCA Retirement Plan
- ELCA Retirement Savings Plan
- ELCA Disability Benefits Plan
- ELCA Survivor Benefits Plan
We also maintain two group retirement plans for ELCA-affiliated social ministry organizations:
- ELCA Master Institutional Retirement Plan
- ELCA 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan
The assets of each plan are held in various trusts and therefore do not allow one plan to fund a shortfall of another plan. The plans are church plans, as defined in section 414(e) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
The disability and health plans, with the exception of the Medicare Advantage Benefit and the ELCA Part D Drug Benefit, are self-insured and are not provided through an insurance company. Portico Benefit Services’ ability to pay claims is dependent on continued contributions, claims experience, and market performance. Portico has contracted with an insurance company to manage and administer the Medicare Advantage Benefit and the ELCA Part D Drug Benefit.
The basic, supplemental, and dependent life insurance benefits are offered by Securian Financial and underwritten by Securian Life Insurance Company (Securian). Product guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claim paying ability of Securian. Premiums are not guaranteed to remain unchanged. Portico does not assume any responsibility or liability for the obligations of Securian under the insurance policies. Portico is not affiliated with Securian.
We reserve the right to change any of the terms of the plans at any time through the amendment or termination process described in each plan’s summary plan description.