Officials of the Christian Science Church seek recognition of faith healing under Massachusetts law requiring health care coverage

The Boston-based Christian Science Church is concerned that the Massachusetts law passed earlier this year requiring employers to provide health insurance to workers might not recognize the church's insurance plans that cover faith healing, the Boston Globe reports.

The law, which takes effect next year, states that employers must contribute to workers' health insurance coverage and will be assessed $295 per employee annually if they do not. Individuals also will be required to obtain insurance. The church "holds that illnesses should be treated with prayer" and offers an insurance plan to employees of the organization that provides only faith-healing services, according to the Globe. The church also offers a traditional medical insurance plan provided by Tufts Health Plan for employees who are not church members. About half of the church's 550 employees are enrolled in the traditional health plan, and about 25% are enrolled in the faith-based plan. A provision in the state law exempts individuals from penalties, such as a loss of income tax deductions, if they choose not to enroll in a plan because of "sincerely held religious beliefs," but the law does not contain a similar exemption for employers. The church this month in a letter to the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Financing and Policy said the law should require plans that offer "health care" instead of plans that offer "medical services." The Church said its faith-based plan qualifies as health care. DHCFP on Tuesday is scheduled to release its final regulations.

Comments

Claire Waterson, a spokesperson and lobbyist for the church, in formal comments submitted to the state said, "The Church does not think it is the Commonwealth's intention to dictate the 'methods' under which health and well-being are achieved. The Church provides its employees with a wide range of health care benefit options, and one of these options is a health plan for spiritual healing." A spokesperson for DHCFP said all public comments are being considered as part of the decision-making process for the regulations. State Sen. Richard Moore (D), who co-authored the law, said one provision in the law was intended to allow Christian Scientists to practice faith healing without penalization. "In the statute, we specifically provided recognition of that concern, and we expect the regulations to support that," Moore said. He added, "If they don't, I suspect (the administration) will end up in court" (Krasner, Boston Globe, 8/28).