Feb 16
Christian Ministry in Court over its Health Insurance Program
A Kentucky legal case has pitted a Christian ministry that has gone into the health insurance business against state regulators.
Medi-Share is a service of the American Evangelical Association and provides medical coverage to Christian families. Medi-Share excludes non-Christians because their lifestyles can result in unnecessary medical care. Participants can’t smoke, use illegal drugs or abuse alcohol. They’re also not allowed to enroll if they have pre-existing conditions like heart disease, diabetes or cancer.
The American Evangelical Association, is a ‘cost-sharing ministry’ and says it is careful not to use terms associated with the insurance industry in its publications so that people won’t be confused.
The state has had a long-standing legal dispute with the Medi-Share program, which helps Christians pay for medical care. The program, which is supported by contributions from churchgoers, is based on the Biblical belief that Christians should take care of one another’s needs.
The plan grossed $42.8 million in the 2005 fiscal year. That is from the contributions of 19,000 participating households, representing about 50,000 people. Martin Cothran, a policy analyst for the Kentucky Family Foundation, says that he pays $395 a month to Medi-Share for his family plan.
Kentucky, according to the Medi-Share Web site, is one of seven states that doesn’t require such organizations to operate under the regulations that govern insurance companies. But the organizations are required to publish a disclaimer saying the medical plan “is not issued by an insurance company nor is it offered through an insurance company.”
The disclaimer goes on to say “whether anyone chooses to pay your medical bills will be totally voluntary” and that the program “should never be considered a substitute for an insurance policy.”
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June 8th, 2007 at 1:07 am
I am absolutely baffled by the last paragraph of this posting! The group actually has to use a disclaimer which states that payment of medical bills will be VOLUNTARY, and that it is not a substitute for an insurance policy? Honestly now, do people think that due diligence flies out the window because something comes packaged in religious wrapping paper?
I am also mildly surprised by the organization’s insinuation that a nonbeliever could not abstain from tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. They could probably pad their profits nicely by expanding their selling pool a bit beyond the faithful.