Open Enrollment for 2026 Benefit Plan Elections will begin on Monday, October 6th and end on Friday, October 31st.
Open Enrollment is the annual period when all benefits eligible Virginia Conference active clergy, pre-Medicare eligible retired clergy, and lay employees can enroll in or make changes to their benefit plan elections for 2026.
The health plans administered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are not changing. As approved at this year’s Annual Conference, participant contributions across all medical and dental plan options will be changing in 2026. Contributions are increasing approximately 5%, but the exact increase varies by plan and dependent coverage tier. Vision rates will be unchanged in 2026. Amounts billed to churches that have elected to make the Conference health plan available to lay employees are also increasing approximately 5% in 2026.
If you do not want to change your current plan elections, no action is needed. We will keep you enrolled in the same plans at the same enrollment tier in 2026. Please note, however, that if you want to make contributions to a Flexible Spending Account or a Dependent Care Spending Account in 2026, you must indicate your desired monthly contributions in the open enrollment system, as IRS rules prohibit enrollment in those plans by default.
During the open enrollment period, Unity Web online benefits enrollment system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system is accessible at unity.vaumc.org.
Please contact Stacey Anthony with any questions or other assistance. She can be reached at 804-521-1131 or staceyanthony@vaumc.org.