Thanks to the passage last year of the federal government”s landmark health care reform bill, Californians are already enjoying a number of new benefits including tax credits for employers, free preventative services for people on Medicare, and a provision that allows for anyone up to the age of 26 to remain on their parents” health plan.
But something very important is still missing.
The law includes no provision for religious non-medical care, including those services provided by self-employed Christian Science practitioners and nurses, both of which are available to the general public and are in no way subsidized by the Christian Science Church. Their role is not to proselytize but to provide metaphysical treatment of physical and other ailments to those who call on them for assistance, regardless of religious background or interest.
For years these services have been accommodated in other government-run programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and California”s own Public Employees” Retirement System (CalPERS). So how is it that something already provided to the elderly, the impoverished and the government-employed is not now being afforded to everyone else in the middle?
That just doesn”t seem right.
To be fair, Congress has built in a little wiggle room in terms of the implementation of this new law, which says that “a State may require that a qualified health plan offered in such State offer benefits in addition to the essential health benefits specified (by the federal government).” The only caveat here is that the State would have to cover any added costs.
Apparently this isn”t an insurmountable hurdle. California”s legislature has already introduced at least 15 bills that would impose coverage requirements that would likely go beyond any federal mandates. This would include coverage for things like acupuncture, mammographies, maternity care, tobacco cessation drugs, medically necessary autism treatment and expanded mental disorder diagnoses.
Religious nonmedical care deserves the same consideration.
For generations those who have relied on Christian Science for their health care have been cured of everything from minor ailments to more serious, life-threatening diseases, many of them medically diagnosed. Failure to accommodate this proven system of healing would not only disregard a significant historic precedent, it would effectively disenfranchise those who have found prayer-based treatment to be a safe and reliable means of treating adverse physical conditions.
Understandably, the private health insurance industry has some concern about benefit mandates. However, private insurers have accommodated Christian Science care and treatment for more than 90 years. Clearly these companies recognize the importance of offering their customers more than purely medical options for treatment.
Regardless of how one cares for their health, they can appreciate the value of having options. By honoring the individual”s ability to discern and determine what”s best for them ? to choose and, if necessary, be covered for whatever responsible form of health care they”ve found to be most effective ? makes sense for everyone. Not only does it benefit the individual in need but our health care system as a whole.
Eric Nelson serves as the media and legislative spokesperson for Christian Science in Northern California.
