Healthcare Bill Boosts Pay for Prayer

Insurance firms urged to cover praying healers

By Mary Papenfuss, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 3, 2009 5:34 AM CST

(Newser) – A little-noticed provision in a Senate version of the pending health care bill would require insurance companies to consider paying for prayer as a medical expense. The addition was inserted by Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch and backed by Democrats John Kerry and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, the home state of the Christian Science church. Officials of the church say their prayer treatments are an effective option to conventional health care. But critics charge the provision would be an unconstitutional merger of church and state.

"When Congress mandates that health companies provide coverage for prayer, it has the effect of the government advancing religion," says a University of California law prof. A pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin criticized the plan as supporting payments for "unproven" treatments. Christian Science is not specifically named in the bill, though the church is a primary organizer of prayer healing services, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. stifles a yawn on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, during the committee's markup on health care legislation. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

The Senate Finance Committee's ranking Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, left, talks with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R- Utah on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, prior to the start... (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE - In this July 13, 2009 file photo, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington during the committee's confirmation hearing... (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, right, questions Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday July 15, 2009, during... (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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Insurance firms urged to cover praying healers

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MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Christian Science Admits Doctors Are Okay

Church tells patients to get actual medical help when necessary

Mass. Election Could Seal Fate of Health Reform

Dems' options if Brown wins not looking good

Scott Brown Pulls Ahead in Mass. Senate Race

Republican leads Martha Coakley 50% to 46%

Dems Could Actually Lose Kennedy Seat

Swing voters weak on Coakley—even some who back health care

Republican Rakes In $1.3M in Race for Kennedy Seat

16,000 online donors respond to request

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