Big Wins for Health Care Freedom

An increasingly popular alternative to traditional health insurance, Health Care Sharing Ministries allow members to pool their money to help cover each other’s medical expenses. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) recognized these ministries are not health insurance and exempted them from regulation as such. Their growth in popularity has caused some states to look at regulation.

Thirty states have passed “safe harbor” provisions for health care sharing consistent with ALEC’s Health Care Sharing Ministries Freedom to Share Act. These provisions make it clear that health care sharing is not health insurance and is not subject to regulations that apply to traditional health insurance.

Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia voted to join those states this session by passing safe harbor provisions. This is a big win for health care freedom. One of the goals of our health care system should be to give patients safe and reliable options and while traditional health insurance meets the needs of many, it is not the only way to pay for health care.

We recently wrote about the debate going on in Utah over a safe harbor provision. Fortunately, the language of that bill was amended and passed without requiring registration. Protecting these ministries and their freedom is important for thousands of patients nationwide that participate. Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia took the right steps, and other states without a safe harbor should follow their lead.