Health Insurance

[MsJackson]

I was hoping to get some feedback on purchasing insurance, primarily health insurance. I recently moved to Massachusetts which just instituted a law requiring all residents to have health insurance. I have many political views on this, but mainly I was offended that I would be required to spend my money, the product of my work, to support what I feel is a harmful industry. I don't want insurance because every time I make a payment, I would be reminded of the fear of sickness, and I don't want that imposition on my thought.

When I found out about this law, I immediately called the Committee on Publication and was reassured that I could fill out an exemption form. I'm so grateful for the Committee!

[David]

From being around Christian Scientists, I’ve found that they have different views about insurance, whether it’s health insurance, property insurance, auto insurance (also required by law lots of places), and so on. And that’s OK. Apparently Mrs. Eddy wasn’t against it, as in the Church Manual she stipulates that the Board of Directors maintain the insurance on the First Reader’s residence.

I too am a Massachusetts resident, and I’m not entirely happy with the health insurance law, primarily because no plan currently offered to the public covers the type of care a Christian Scientist probably would want. I’ve spoken with my state senator about this, and he indicated that the state isn’t comfortable with mandating that insurers cover certain types of care (my understanding is that California, which also has a health-insurance law, does require insurers to cover various alternative types of treatment, Christian Science care among them).

When I pay for my home-owner’s insurance, I’m not afraid that my house is going to burn down, be burglarized, or whatever. Many Christian Scientists pray about their home’s protection, just as they pray about their health. Probably most of them still get sick sometimes, however—not because Christian Science doesn’t work or because they’re slackers but probably because, from a human standpoint, we’re not all yet sufficiently spiritually minded and so sometimes get caught up in a material sense of things. Maybe insurance can be viewed as a human safeguard that can be a substantial help in getting things back to normal if, for instance, a house is damaged in some way.

Just some thoughts on the matter . . . .

[jazzrascal]

There is/was a health insurance company for Christian Scientists called SMS. They used to advertise in the Monitor, but I can't find them anywhere online. Does anyone know what happened to them? Or maybe I've got the name wrong...


jazzrascal

[kidlit]

Jazzrascal,

I believe it's called "SCS," which stands for "Serving Christian Scientists." I'm sure you can find them by Google-searching the abbreviated and/or long versions.

[Starlight Rider]

Several thoughts come to mind. I understand your dilemma, but there are many ways of looking at this.

First, you might consider Matthew 22:21 "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Buying health insurance cannot take anything away from you. It cannot deplete God's provision for you in any way.

Second, consider that Massachusetts law was intended to keep costs down for everyone by sharing the burden among everyone. The motives for that are kindness and brotherly love. Consider, then, that your payment is helping those who are not at the same spiritual level you are. This is loving your neighbor as yourself.

Third, many states require you to have automobile insurance. Writing out checks for car insurance doesn't make people fear accidents. Neither should health insurance payments make you fearful of illness. Note that auto insurance also covers medical expenses.

Fourth, simply as a practical matter, in the unlikely event you found yourself in a medical facility for whatever reason, you would have a way to pay for it.

[Aslan]

Fourth, simply as a practical matter, in the unlikely event you found yourself in a medical facility for whatever reason, you would have a way to pay for it.

Health Care is but one aspect of a much larger issue we face in America today. At its root is a lack of value for our fellow man... in other words a lack of love. Mrs. Eddy wrote of mental slavery, but few Americans are awake to the fact that they are enslaved by materialism, and the mechanism of this slavery consists of 30 year mortgages, credit cards, auto loans, various types of insurance, and the jobs they take to pay them.

Having been raised in Christian Science I had never turned to medicine before. However, after a year of increasing pain that I was unable to overcome even with the help of practitioners, I turned for the first time to medicine. I was diagnosed with a condition that I was told without surgery would be fatal. At that point I didn't care whether or not I made the transition, so long as the pain was ended. I was assured that I was covered by government programs, and I opted to have the surgery.

To make a long story short, today I am unable to return to my old work. I almost daily receive bills from the hospital which I have to return with a photocopy of the paper that says I'm covered. I am repeatedly asked to provide income information, when I have none to speak of. My state disability has run out, my credit cards balances are rising, and I have been denied Social Security benefits because, after the doctors have documented that I'm "disabled" the hospital reported to the government that I'm fully recovered. I have, of course, appealed the Social Security issue with corrected documentation.

I don't mean to make this post into a gripe session, and I'm not looking for pity. I'm asking Christian Scientists to consider the mental affects of such things on someone with no background in Christian Science, and how it might impact their prospects for recovery. Cases like this can occur in America because our systems of education have allowed popular belief to judge an individual's value by their financial holdings and/or their employment rather than by their spiritual identity as a child of God.

The current controversy over health care is but one way in which a higher concept of man's true value is asserting itself in popular belief.

[Pat]

I see mandatory health insurance as an infringement upon personal liberty and freedom of choice. If a person wants to help others pay their medical bills, they perhaps could contribute to some such charity if that is their desire, but to be coerced by law to maintain health insurance against one's will is not a help to anyone in my opinion. It would be a case of the means being justified by the end.
Psychologically, paying for insurance does reinforce the idea that it will be needed, which according to the law of averages may be the case, however if you do not care to live by the law of averages, you should not have to, especially if you are a Christian Scientist.
When my children were young, I signed a waver so they would not be forced to have immunizations. If you don't agree with that type of health care you should not have to subscribe to it, any more than you should have to join some religion and support it because it is law. I didn't think that was the kind of country we lived in.
It would seem to me that trusting to insurance to care for one is antagonistic to the Christian Science viewpoint. Am I wrong? :confused:

[Aslan]

Pat;

Your political view on the issue of health care is clearly quite different from mine. If I may be permitted to say so, you might see things differently if you had ever been through the current system of public health care as an uninsured Christian Scientist, or with a family member who was an uninsured Christian Scientist, due to injury from an accident resulting in broken bones.

Until the advancing age admits the efficacy and supremacy of Mind, it is better for Christian Scientists to leave surgery and the adjustment of broken bones and dislocations to the fingers of a surgeon, while the mental healer confines himself chiefly to mental reconstruction and to the prevention of inflammation. Christian Science is always the most skilful surgeon, but surgery is the branch of its healing which will be last acknowledged. (S&H 401:27-32)

The Christian Scientist should consider the mental effects of dealing with bureaucracy and bills the patient cannot pay on the patient.

Also, it is my personal hope that if national health care becomes a reality in the United States, it will cover treatments by Christian Science practitioners and care in Christian Science nursing facilities.

Regards,
Aslan

[mady]

Pat,
I also had my children exempted from immunizations and a national health care plan that would require shots, checkups, medical monitoring of various types does give me concern. When I see people making slightly more than minimum wage in jobs where most of their paycheck goes to health insurance, I often think this is the slavery of this age.

However, we are in a "catastrophic illness" situation now with my husband and as Aslan writes, to be an uninsured Christian Scientist navigating the medical bureaucracy compounds the pressure. Even with insurance this time around, the financial burden along with the extra care can be overwhelming. Until recently, I had never considered the possibility of being in a situation where we would accept medical care as a means to avoid being a burden on family members. It seems so unfair to have to choose between your religious beliefs and depending on relatives to support and care for you indefinitely.

But, the Christ light still shines, even now. And every glimpse gives me assurance that we will have the victory.

Aslan, thank you for your many encouraging posts.

Mady