Please check this page often for updates.

(Updated 7/1/2020)

COVID-19 has affected every part of our lives and will continue to do so for some time. At Christian Brothers Services (CBS), we are committed to the health and safety of our employees by following work-from-home and social distancing practices. Just as we strive to protect those who serve you, we are also committed to providing you with seamless operations and services.

To help guide you and your ministry through these troublesome times, we have compiled a list of free resources from our partners and other sources that can answer many of your questions regarding COVID-19.

Please remember you are not alone. During these changing times, our commitment to you has not changed. CBS is closely monitoring developments from the pandemic, and we are here to assist you with any issues you have. We will work to keep you informed as this situation continues to evolve.

Please stay safe and be well.


Waiving Fees and Cost Sharing for COVID-19 Treatment
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to escalate, Christian Brothers Services (CBS) is implementing changes to the Christian Brothers Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to remove any plan design barriers our participants may have when accessing care. The EBT is temporarily waiving any cost-sharing, including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19 at all in-network facilities and treatment for out-of-network emergencies. This will be effective for treatment received April 1, 2020 through May 31, 2020.

Further, the recently passed CARES Act makes preventive care related to COVID-19 part of the ACA preventive care mandate. This means COVID-19 preventive care charges will now be covered on a first-dollar basis without any cost sharing.

As a reminder, all Christian Brothers’ EBT and RMT plans will cover COVID-19 testing at 100% with no member cost share for both In-Network and Out-of-Network providers.


Prescription Retail Shipping Options
As a reminder, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Express Scripts has created an exception for CVS and Walgreens to provide delivery to their patients. This exception is important to meet our patients’ needs, but is also required because these providers frequently use mail-order services to execute delivery. This delivery service is available at no additional cost to patients. All CVS and Walgreens retail locations have been notified.

Please note that Rite Aid has also confirmed they will offer courier delivery for free. For a participant to utilize, the participant must call the store directly to enroll.


Telehealth
Both the Christian Brothers Employee Benefit and Religious Medical Trusts (EBT and RMT) are now covering telehealth/virtual visits that meet the following criteria:

Telehealth visits (phone, video and other virtual visits), including behavioral health, will be covered as a regular office visit in accordance with benefit plan terms for In-Network providers who offer the service through two-way, live interactive telephone or digital video consultations or other methods allowed by applicable laws and regulations.


Telemedicine
With the spread of COVID19 across the United States,, telemedicine is an important step in accessing health care as many medical providers are experiencing higher-than-normal requests for in-person appointments.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, we encourage you to use Teladoc. Take these steps to prepare for your Teladoc visit and save time:

  • If you’re new to using Teladoc, start by visiting the Teladoc website for answers to frequently asked questions.
  • For fastest support, we encourage members to contact Teladoc by mobile App or web. You can download the App on the App Store or Google Play.
  • Before your first virtual visit, members need to set up a Teladoc account and share their medical history on the app or on the Teladoc account set up page. Completing this step in advance accelerates visit requests.
For more information on Teladoc’s COVID-19 response, please read their recent release.


Find a Community Health Center
Community Health Centers may be a viable option for you to seek medical attention if:

  • You are unable to schedule an appointment with your doctor.
  • You are currently without health insurance coverage.

“Find a Health Center” is provided by the HRSA for informational purposes only and has not been verified by Christian Brothers Services for accuracy.


Access Map

Working at Home: A Common Sense Guide to Well-Being and Success
Moving your workspace from an office to the confines of your home can be a challenging effort on many levels. Finding a suitable location, organizing your workday for success and adjusting to your new routine and environment can present significant issues without adequate preparation and adaptation. Fortunately, it is not an impossible task, especially if you follow some basic practices. The following are common concepts that successful teleworkers and their associates use to ensure well-being and success when working from home.

Work From Home Best Practices Flyer



ERGONOMICS: Home Computer Workstation Self-Assessment
A guide to set up your workstation at home for optimal comfort and performance

Access Checklist

2020 Economic Impact Payment Calculator
Intuit® estimates that more than 80% of taxpayers will receive an economic impact payment check this year. This easy-to-use calculator will tell you how much you can expect, if you qualify and what’s needed to get your payment.

Calculate Payment


COVID-19 Relief for Student Loan Borrowers
To provide relief during the COVID-19 national emergency, the CARES Act provides broad relief for federal student loan borrowers. Federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payment. This suspension of payments will last until Sept. 30, 2020, but you can still make payments if you choose.

Learn More
FAQs Regarding Participation of Faith-based Organizations in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued FAQs for faith-based organizations that are interested in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).

The SBA clarified in this document that faith-based organizations are eligible to receive SBA loans, “regardless of whether they provide secular social services. That is, no otherwise eligible organization will be disqualified from receiving a loan because of the religious nature, religious identity, or religious speech of the organization.” The FAQ also answers other questions of importance to faith-based organizations.

Access PPP FAQs  PPP Application Form  More Information

Read Eligibility Letter  Explore Grant Provisions


Economic Impact Payments: What You Need to Know
Who is eligible for the economic impact payment? How will the IRS know where to send my payment? Can I still receive my payment if I am not typically required to file a tax return? Find answers to these questions and more in this quick overview from the IRS.

Access Q&A

New Guidance for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Beneficiaries
The Treasury Department launched a new web tool allowing quick registration for Economic Impact Payments for eligible individuals who do not normally file a tax return, and also announced that it would begin making automatic payments

View Guidelines


Disaster Loan Assistance Loans from Small Business Administration Available to Non-Profits
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans will be available to  non-profit organizations. The loans provide another category of assistance that initially had seemed to be unavailable to faith-based ministries. Applicants for a loan in response to COVID-19 from an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan can request an advance of up to $10,000 that is to be issued within three days of application. Funds can be used for sick leave due to COVID-19, maintaining payroll to retain employees during economic interruption, rent, mortgage payments and other limited obligations. These funds do not have to be repaid, even if the loan requested is denied, effectively making the initial $10,000 a grant.

If the same applicant obtains a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the Small Business Administration, the $10,000 forgiven under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan reduces what can be forgiven under the Paycheck Protection Program loan.

Launch Application  Access SBA Disaster Loan Form
Relief for Taxpayers Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic
The IRS has issued Notice 2020-17 and Notice 2020-18 to help provide some relief to all Americans who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, American taxpayers must make federal income tax filings and payments by April 15, 2020, but these Notices postpone both the filing and payment deadlines until July 15, 2020.

Taxpayers can postpone payments up to $1,000,000 if filing as a single individual or as married individuals on a joint return. This relief is available only for federal income tax payments (including payments of tax on self-employment income) due on April 15, 2020, for the taxpayer’s 2019 tax year. Any interest or penalties on the postponed tax filings and payments will begin to accrue on July 16, 2020.

Learn More

Filing and Payment Deadlines Questions and Answers
As we mentioned above, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS announced special federal income tax return filing and payment relief in response to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency. Understandably, there have been a lot of questions about what this means and how it will impact both filing and payment deadlines, so they answered some of the frequently asked questions related to Notice 2020-18.

Access Q&A


New Tax Benefits for Donors

New Tax Incentives for Donors
The CARES Act allows for special tax benefits for donors in 2020. Use the link below to access a handy one-pager that you can share with your supporters.

Donor Benefit Flyer

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) paid leave provisions are now in effect as of April 1, 2020, and apply to leave taken between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. Check out this helpful Q&A to learn important definitions, what it means for your organization as an employer and what it means for you as an individual should you need to take leave.

Access FAQs


Guidance Explaining Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020. To help you understand how this will impact you and your staff, check out their handouts and Q&A.

Access Q&A


COVID-19: Recommended Preventive Practices and FAQs for Faith-based and Community Leaders
The Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives — a part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — understands that faith-based and community leaders continue to be valuable sources of comfort and support during this period of distress. They have addressed many FAQs on how you can best help reach vulnerable populations with essential information and assistance in the days ahead.

Access FAQs


IRS Paid Leave
The U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor announced that small and midsize employers can soon begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing coronavirus-related leave to their employees. The goal of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act) is to help the United States combat and defeat COVID-19 by giving all American businesses with fewer than 500 employees funds to provide employees with paid leave, either for the employees’ own health needs or to care for family members.

More Information
Alert for COVID-19 Cyber Scams
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), a division of the United States Department of Health & Human Services, recently issued a warning to remain vigilant for cyber scams related to COVID-19. They believe criminal actors may attempt to use this outbreak to steal confidential, personal data. To help you know what to look for to best protect both your personal and organization information, the OCR has gathered helpful guidelines and precautions to follow.

More Information
Prepare for a Return to School
In an effort to offer support in this trying time, the Andrew M. Greeley Center for Catholic Education-School of Education, Loyola University Chicago has created a free resource for Catholic schools to help think through some of the issues that are present in preparing for a return to school this fall. We offer this guide Leading with Hope: A Reflective Guide for Catholic Schools in a New Reality in an attempt to support Catholic school leaders and teachers in this time.

Reopening Resources



Initial CBS COVID-19 Response Message: March 19, 2020


As we all embark on unprecedented times surrounding the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation, we want to ensure our Members and Clients that Christian Brothers Services will continue providing the programs, plans and services you have come to rely on.

CBS is fortunate to maintain key partnerships with leaders in health, retirement planning and risk management services, all of whom have fluid contingency plans in place. The following are examples of those relationships:

  • Teladoc, a frontrunner in telemedicine offering access to healthcare 24-7;
  • Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefits manager, ensuring prescription supplies are met;
  • AJ Gallagher, offering guidance for employer liability issues surrounding COVID-19;
  • Gallagher-Bassett, our property, casualty and workers compensation claims manager;
  • The Vanguard Group, a world-class record-keeper for our 403(b) and 401(k) Plans, providing advice on handling the volatility of the stock market;
  • Northern Trust continues to pay retirement benefits for our Pension Plan;
  • Church Benefits Association, where our membership allows CBS to access colleagues serving other faith-based benefit organizations;
  • Church Alliance, where our membership helps CBS continue to monitor all federal legislation impacting benefit plans and Church Plan status.
In addition, CBS has implemented our Business Continuity Plan in full support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations of social distancing, which accelerates our work-from-home program, suspends business travel, both internationally and domestic, and ensures contingency planning is in place. Doing so allows us to protect our workforce and ensures we have the technology and the tools to support our member’s needs.

In these uncertain times, rest assured we are continually working to provide seamless operations as we navigate this situation.