Open enrollment for WELS VEBA

The WELS VEBA Commission is offering open enrollment this fall to all eligible workers at WELS and ELS organizations for health coverage effective January 1, 2026. The enrollment period opens November 3 and runs through December 1.

Workers and organizations are encouraged to consider this opportunity to enroll as the commission does not hold an open enrollment every year. This is the first full open enrollment in three years. Approximately 80 percent of WELS organizations already participate in WELS VEBA to provide medical care for their workers.

The 2026 rates are posted at welsbpo.net. While health care rates continue to rise across the country, the VEBA plan’s rate of increase is about one percent lower than the national average.

Rates will increase by 8.5 percent for all plan options due primarily to continued inflation for health care services and prescription drugs. In addition, 2026 will be the second year in the commission’s three-year effort to update the geographic rate regions and regional rating factors for all areas so that rates better reflect current health care costs across the country. This means that the total 2026 health care rate change for each sponsoring organization will be a combination of the 8.5 percent trend increase and the organization’s new regional rating factor.

Director of WELS Benefit Plans Mr. Joshua Peterman says, “During this recent period of high health care cost inflation, the commission has provided stability by maintaining comprehensive benefits and nationwide access to network providers, and by not increasing member deductible and maximum out-of-pocket amounts—except to comply with IRS regulations for plan option three to remain qualified for use with health savings accounts.”

Learn more about the WELS VEBA health plan at welsbpo.net.