Originally published at National Catholic Register
Three U.S. representatives have introduced a bill that supports American taxpayers who choose to participate in health sharing, a care option favored by Christians and pro-lifers for its religious freedom protections.
If passed, the Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act would designate health sharing payments as tax deductable, alleviating costs for families who opt for health sharing over traditional health coverage, many of whom do so for religious reasons. The act was introduced by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania; Greg Murphy, R-North Carolina; and Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.
“Unfairly, Americans have been historically penalized by the tax code when they chose to use faith-based health care sharing ministries to meet their health care needs. The Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act will remedy this problem, ensuring Americans are no longer disadvantaged by the tax code for their religious beliefs,” Smith said in a press release on March 14.
Health sharing became a popular alternative to mainstream insurance coverage over a decade ago with the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which included a mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requiring insurance plans to fund contraception, sterilizations, and early abortion pills.
The practice
