LOS ANGELES (YBH.ME) – The health care bill currently before the Senate (S.1679) has plenty of pet provisions from narrow constituencies. One of those is likely to raise some eyebrows among many on the left.
Senators Orrin Hatch and John Kerry.
The unlikely triumvirate of Utah’s Senator Orrin Hatch, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry and the late Ted Kennedy came together to support a provision widely thought to be in aid of Christian Scientists. Though not mentioning the church exactly, it would prohibit the government from discriminating against “religious and spiritual health care.” Basically, the U.S. Government would be on the hook for what are known as prayer treatments.
Private insurers have historically reimbursed prayer treatment, generally at a rate of $20 to $40 a day, though managed care providers do not do so, stating that proven medical treatments are all they compensate for.
Having successfully campaigned to get rid of the provision from the House bill, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is advising members to write letters to Senators containing the following language:
Congress must not encourage medical maltreatment of dependent children and the government should not be forcing taxpayers or insurance companies to pay for prayer and other religious rituals. Please remove this irresponsible mandate from S. 1679, and from future health care reform bills.
The massive Senate bill, at nearly 2000 pages, doubtless will be trimmed of many provisions, if the Freedom From Religion Foundation has its way prayer treatment will be among the first to go.
