OMAHA, Neb. If you are a committed Christian, the contract begins, you do not have to violate your faith by purchasing government-approved health insurance. <\/p>\n
Every year, Gary Duff signs an updated version of these 40-page terms, which detail one way Americans can avoid buying private insurance or paying into the Affordable Care Act. <\/p>\n
The deal, made possible by a little-known provision in the health-care law, has one particularly important requirement: The Duff household of nine must abstain from general debauchery. <\/p>\n
Samaritan Ministries, a health-care sharing group, will charge its national network to cover the familys medical bills, but only if they agree to forsake binge-drinking, extramarital sex, illegal drugs and tobacco (with the exception of celebratory, post-birth cigars). The organization describes itself as a Biblical approach to health-care, guided by Galatians 6:2: Bear one anothers burdens. <\/p>\n
This appeals to Duff, a 60-year-old former missionary and international business instructor. He and his wife, Sheryl, have home-schooled all seven of their children and taught them to avoid MTV-approved anything. <\/p>\n
Samaritans rules, however, extend beyond the religious realm to the practical one of saving money. Sinful behavior threatens more than a souls entrance to Heaven, Duff and his cohorts believe: It damages the earthly body and amplifies the price of health-care. <\/p>\n
Christians are just healthier people, he says. Think of all the physical problems we can attribute to a sinful lifestyle. <\/p>\n
The ACA, the Samaritan contract states, is undesirable because it covers costs that result from immoral practices, such as STD treatments or out-of-wedlock births. The law creates a moral dilemma for Duff, who now works as an assistant pastor in downtown Omaha. <\/p>\n
Simply put, he says, I dont want to pay for that or encourage it in any way. <\/p>\n
Neither do the estimated 100,000 other Samaritan users. The health-care sharing ministry, recognized in ACA as a viable insurance alternative, covers up to $250,000 per need. About 37,000 households are in the network. <\/p>\n
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Christian health-care sharing group offers alternative to ACA<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OMAHA, Neb. If you are a committed Christian, the contract begins, you do not have to violate your faith by purchasing government-approved health insurance. Every year, Gary Duff signs an updated version of these 40-page terms, which detail one way Americans can avoid buying private insurance or paying into the Affordable Care Act. Continue reading