Ladies,
This is about 'billing'....as in charging $25-40 or more for their prayers for you. And this is the kind of bunk that is dragging down the passage of a clear all-inclusive health care reform package.
From Tribune, Washington:
"...Phil Davis, a senior Christian Science church official, hurriedly delivered bundles of letters to Senate offices promoting a little-noticed proposal in the legislation requiring insureres to consider covering the church's prayer treatments just as they do other medical expenses."
IRS allows the cost of Christian Science prayer sessions to counted among the itemized medical expenses for income tax purposes....one of the only religious treatments explicitly identified as deductible by the IRS.
Did anybody know about this?
As an individual, I can't deduct medical expenses until they comprise more than 7 percent of my income.
US First amendment clause; "Congress shall make no law respecting and establishment of religion."
what is currently happening in Congress:
Pelosi stripped the CS language from the House bill while Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) is considering whether to include it in the bill he sends to the Senate floor in a few weeks.
If it makes it into the bill.....great, then IRS can immediately and retroactively strip all churches of their non-profit tax exemptions. Churchs can't have it both ways...they are either are non-profit or not. The second a 'church' starts 'billing for services' they become a profitable income based entity just like any other business.
I was hoping to see an American organized religious entity pushing for quality of patient care and rights...instead, they are squirreling their way into the public health care money coffers just like the insurance industry.
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Christian Scientists want 'spiritual care' as part of health bill
- By martzj
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 9:34 am · 8 replies
- In Advice for other women with heart disease
- Shared with the public
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8 replies
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- Newest first
- By kardia
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 10:41 am
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martzj,
How interesting. How on earth can this happen in the 21st Century I ask myself. But then, nothing really surprises me on the other hand. Not sure what to do with this information personaly except, pray (sp?) Ironic.
Thanks for the information.
kardia
www.kardianotes.blogspot.com
- By martzj
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 7:27 pm
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The president's insistence on gov't transparency is certainly opening up some creepy windows on the inner workings of Congress and organized religion.
- By Yatchzee
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 7:34 pm
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Honestly!! I guess everyone has an ajenda. Joyce
- By Kennarina
- Posted November 4, 2009 at 12:09 pm
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This IS creepy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here in the commie, pinko land of socialized medicine, our health care system does not pay for praying.
XOXOXO
http://www.myheartsisters.org
- By Dmadscientist
- Posted November 5, 2009 at 9:04 am
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Thank God we are finally having some transparency in Government, how refreshing!
- By Asurvivor
- Posted November 9, 2009 at 3:55 pm
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Our local Adventist hospital feels prayer is a welcome addition to recovery and the nurses do pray with the patients. However, I don't know if they charge anything extra!
Every hospital is supposed to have a non-denominational Chaplain who will pray with you and the patient for free. All you have to do is ask the nurse to call him/her.
- By Queen_E
- Posted November 10, 2009 at 4:17 pm
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A Christian Science practitioner could be grouped as alternative or complimentary medicine. Many medical plans cover/provide some % payment for alternative treatments that one gets from herbalists, reiki, homeopathic doctors, etc.
In terms of what a public-option plan should cover, which I view as Jaynie's main point, well, I am in strict "no comment" mode as part of my stress reduction program. I live too close to DC, please understand :-) I hope it is basic, but we will see.
In this specific case, about the value of spiritual healing, I keep an open mind. My grandmother practiced Christian Science most of her life and lived to be 100. She had no health concerns until she pretty much just wore out her body at about 99. She did accept conventional treatments too (and got conventional treatments for her kids!!) but kept her spiritual discipline until the end. I do not believe there was a practitioner in her area, so she did not use that service.
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