KY looks to bar Christian medical cost-sharing company from state
Here is an interesting article from today’s Louisville Courier-Journal that talks about a Christian cost-sharing program to help people pay for medical expenses. The article appears a little short on information though.
The article quotes an official as saying:
“It looks so much like health insurance that we’re afraid the normal everyday citizen may replace their health insurance with this,” said Julie McPeak, executive director of the state Office of Insurance. “It’s important for us to pursue this to determine how it needs to be regulated, if at all.”
Which is exceptionally revealing if you stitch it together with this:
Kentucky is one of seven states that doesn’t require such organizations to operate under the regulations that govern insurance companies, the Web site says. But the organizations are required to publish a disclaimer saying the medical plan “is not issued by an insurance company nor is it offered through an insurance company.”
These two statements propel me to ask these questions:
- Is Kentucky negligent in its legal coverage of organizations like this?
- Is this company actively exploiting the lack of legal coverage in states like this?
I love the idea of a bunch of Christians getting together and helping each other out, it reminds me of the community action you see in Acts, however such an endeavor should be above reproach under both Christian and legal lights so that close inspection only seeks to point that party to Christ.
Dig deeper: Medi-Share’s disclaimer page