This month, the Maryland Senate is beginning consideration on a positive piece of legislation that would protect the right for Marylanders to choose a Health Care Sharing Ministry.
Katy Talento, Executive Director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries has released the following statement of support:
“Thousands of Marylanders choose to be a part of Health Care Sharing Ministries for a variety of reasons, including having a health care solution that is consistent with their religious beliefs as well as their budgets. An important, timely bill (MD SB543) has been introduced that upholds the federal Affordable Care Act’s protection for this health care choice and clarifies that they are not insurance.
The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries applauds State Senator Adelaide Eckardt for her leadership on this issue and hopes her colleagues in the Maryland Legislature join her in supporting faith-based, community-guided health care.
Health Care Sharing Ministries provide an alternative to the insurance paradigm and build upon Maryland’s longstanding tradition of protecting religious communities and the rights of individuals to forge their own paths, and create customized solutions for managing health care costs. Health Care Sharing Ministries are not for everyone, but they should continue to be a choice for the people of Maryland as they are for Americans across the country.”