Washington Post Examines Faith-Based Health Plans, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 31 Oct 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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The Washington Post on Tuesday examined "a little-known group" of not-for-profit organizations that provide faith-based health plans -- six of which operate in the U.S. -- as alternatives to traditional health insurance for evangelical Christians. Under faith-based plans, or "church plans," members send a monthly check, or "share," that ranges from $200 to $400 to the plan or to members the plan designates with "needs," or medical bills. The plans subtract overhead and administrative expenses from the total collected and use the remainder to pay claims. Last year, Medi-Share, the largest provider of faith-based plans, paid almost $43 million in medical bills. Members of the plans also must pay annual deductibles and agree to strict limits on behavior and care. For example, the plans ban tobacco use, heavy drinking, homosexuality and extramarital sex among members and do not cover abortion or treatment for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in many cases. Many of the plans also do not cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions. In addition, the plans require approval for nonemergency treatments from a network physician to help reduce costs. According to the Post, faith-based plans attract many evangelical Christians because they cost about half as much as traditional health insurance and because membership is "strictly limited to evangelical Christians certified as regular churchgoers by their pastors." However, critics maintain that faith-based plans are "essentially unlicensed health insurers operating without regulation, protection for unsuspecting consumers or public accountability," according to the Post. Meanwhile, states "have been slow to take action because they are leery of the plans' religious affiliations and because complaints by subscribers have been uncommon" the Post reports (Boodman, Washington Post, 10/25).

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