WELS VEBA Enrollment

2025 Limited Open Enrollment

The WELS VEBA Commission is pleased to offer a limited open enrollment for the WELS VEBA Group Health Care Plan for the 2025 plan year.

Enrollment will be held from November 1 through December 2, 2024.

What is a limited open enrollment?

Limited open enrollment means that enrollment is only available to eligible workers who serve at organizations with at least one active worker enrolled in WELS VEBA Medical Benefits.

If at least one active worker at your organization was enrolled in WELS VEBA Medical Benefits on October 1, 2024, the 2025 limited open enrollment is available to your organization and its workers and the following information on this page is applicable.

During this limited open enrollment, eligible workers will have the opportunity to make the following elections:

  • Enroll for new WELS VEBA Medical and/or Dental Benefits;
  • Add or remove any eligible family members under existing WELS VEBA Medical and/or Dental Benefits;
  • Change to a different deductible option under existing WELS VEBA Medical Benefits; and
  • Apply for Group Term Life Insurance and/or Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance.

Supporting your workers

As a sponsoring organization representative, you play an important role in engaging eligible workers with the benefits of WELS VEBA and supporting them through the decisions they have to make. As a result, we encourage you to be proactive with your workers and support them at this important time. We hope this website supports your organization in making your benefit funding decisions for 2025 and provides a useful reference when communicating enrollment to your workers.

Please remember that any open enrollment is held solely at the discretion of the WELS VEBA Commission and is not held every year–encourage your eligible workers to carefully consider this opportunity.

What has changed for 2025?

The following summarizes the most significant changes effective January 1, 2025.

WELS VEBA Medical Benefits

  • The 2025 rate change for WELS VEBA Medical Benefits will vary by organization and will range from a 0.7% decrease to an 18.9% increase. The rate change is comprised of a 7% increase for health care cost inflation and an update to the WELS VEBA geographic rate regions for all areas of the country. Details regarding the 2025 rate change are available on this page.
  • The Plan Option 3 deductible amounts will increase to $3,300/individual and $6,600/family per IRS regulations to remain qualified for use with a Health Savings Account (HSA).

Dental Benefits

Monthly premium rates for Dental Benefits will not change for 2025.  The 2024 rates for Dental Benefits will remain in effect for 2025.

Long-Term Disability

Monthly premium rates for Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance will decrease by 10% for 2025.  Please note that the premium amount due for a covered worker’s Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance may change in 2025 if the worker’s covered compensation changes.

Group Term Life

Monthly premium rates for Group Term Life Insurance will not change for 2025.  The 2024 rates for Group Term Life Insurance will remain in effect for 2025.  Please note that the premium amount due for a covered worker’s Group Term Life Insurance may change in 2025 if the worker or worker’s spouse attains a new age band, or if the coverage amount changes for a worker, spouse, or child.

2025 Rates for WELS Benefit Plans

What do I need to do?

We encourage you to support your workers during this limited open enrollment period. The checklist below lists a number of important things to consider over the next few weeks:

  • Inform workers of your organization’s financial support for 2025 WELS VEBA coverage.
  • Inform workers of the 2025 limited open enrollment.
  • Ensure workers receive their WELS VEBA open enrollment packet by the end of October.
  • Encourage workers to consider their options carefully.
  • Direct workers to contact the WELS Benefits Service Center if they have questions.
  • Review January 2025 invoice(s) to be sure worker elections match expectations and that your payment reflects the total amount due.

How do my workers enroll?

All benefit elections must be made by eligible workers through the WELS Benefits Service Center, either by telephone at 1-800-487-8322 (option 1) or online at wels.bswift.com. The WELS Benefits Service Center will begin accepting elections as part of the limited open enrollment on November 1.

Important Notes

  • As a sponsoring organization representative, you cannot elect benefits or make changes on behalf of your workers.
  • If no changes are desired, no action is required as 2024 benefit elections will automatically be carried over to 2025.
  • A worker does not need to be enrolled in WELS VEBA Medical Benefits to enroll for Dental Benefits or apply for Group Term Life or Long-Term Disability Insurance.
  • Enrollment is for the 2025 plan year; any changes made will become effective January 1, 2025.

What happens next?

Eligible workers at your organization will be mailed a packet of enrollment materials between October 21 and October 31.  This packet will include an enrollment guide and additional information regarding the limited open enrollment period. The enrollment guide is available here.