The Freedom From Religion Foundation is commending Congressional Freethought Caucus members for asking regulatory authorities to investigate a dubious, religious form of health care.
“Congressional Freethought Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., plus Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Del. Eleanor Holmes-Norton, D-Washington, D.C., are calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate health care sharing ministries āand take immediate action to protect consumers.ā
Such entities are a form of health coverage in which members ā who typically share a religious belief ā make monthly payments to cover expenses of other members. According to the Commonwealth Fund, health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) ādo not have to comply with the consumer protections of the Affordable Care Act,ā which means that āalthough HCSMs are not insurance and do not guarantee payment of claims, their features closely mimic traditional insurance products, possibly confusing consumers.ā
Health care sharing ministries have recently been under scrutiny due to damaging reports in the New York Times and an exposĆ© on John Oliverās āLast Week Tonight.ā As one observer cogently puts it, āChristian health sharing is a scam.ā
In the carefully composed congressional letter, the Freethought Caucus members make it clear that health care sharing ministries āare jeopardizing the health and well-being of a reported 1.5 million Americans through deceptive marketing practices and their systemic failure to provide necessary products and services for the consumers to whom they offer ācoverage.āā
The impact of these āhealth careā organizations has been devastating, according to the letter. The members of Congress have several questions for the Trade Commission, including: āWhat actions can FTC take to protect consumers from enrolling in health coverage that does not cover medically necessary tests and services?ā
FFRF expresses its appreciation of these members of Congress for shining a spotlight on a little-known and questionable model of health care.
āWe are grateful that Rep. Huffman and his colleagues are asking for clear answers about health care sharing ministries and how to best regulate them to prevent harm to consumers,ā says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. āSuch outfits are yet another example of how religiously affiliated organizations hide their harmful and profitable practices from the public under the guise of religious exemptions.ā
āWe applaud Rep. Huffmanās actions today,ā adds FFRF Director of Governmental Affairs Mark Dann. āIt shows that he is a true leader in Congress. We hope that todayās letter to the Federal Trade Commission is just the beginning of more actions that will rein in these harmful entities.ā
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 35,000 members and several chapters across the country. Its purpose is to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church.