1.5 million Americans – more than 150,000 Texans – have chosen to join a Health Care Sharing Ministry to provide for their families’ health care needs. The Alliance represents the majority of these federally-defined ministries, which are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable communities of like-minded religious believers that facilitate the sharing of medical expenses between their members. These ministries offer Texans the only 100% pro-life health care solution that is consistent with their Biblical beliefs. The Texas House Insurance Committee recently reported HB 573 for full floor consideration. Contrary to the assertions made by the committee chairman, HB 573 is NOT a compromise supported by the majority of ministries, who oppose the bill and have for months tried in vain to work with Chairman Oliverson on clear and precise bill language that would deter bad actors and protect religious exercise.
- HB 573 expands government life-and-death power over religious organizations. This harmful legislation would significantly expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Insurance over religious ministries. The bill grants the government bureaucracy the power to impose unlimited requirements on Health Care Sharing Ministries as part of an onerous registration ordeal – or else be shut down in Texas.
- HB 573 discriminates against Christians. HB 573 directly threatens religious freedom by requiring Health Care Sharing Ministries to comply with its incoherent and unworkable regulatory scheme, while imposing no such requirements on for-profit, secular health care sharing organizations.
- HB 573 violates the First Amendment. HB 573 would restrict First Amendment-protected speech by prohibiting ministries from communicating factual information about their programs, including the free or discounted services included in membership. The bill also compels disclosure of member demographics and brazenly dictates the content of advertisements, down to the font size.
- HB 573 eviscerates the presumption of innocence. HB 573 eliminates the burden of proof on the government to prove a case before shutting down a ministry by granting the Attorney General preemptive, “emergency” power to shut down any ministry on the basis of his beliefs about the ministry’s alleged conduct.
- HB 573 punishes good actors but ignores bad actors. HB 573 imposes its regulatory burdens only on the religious ministries that have operated in good faith for almost 30 years, while leaving untouched the fly-by-night, newer, for-profit secular organizations that have harmed and misled consumers.
- HB 573 replaces current law that’s already working. The Texas Attorney General has used his existing power to prosecute for-profit, secular organizations that are purported to be bad actors. Yet in the name of consumer protection, HB 573 targets the religious ministries who had nothing to do with such devastating cases of consumer harm and have been complying with current law.
- HB 573 would force Health Care Sharing Ministries to lie. HB 573 requires ACA-exempt ministries to tell prospective members that they could be subject to the ACA mandate penalty.
- HB 573 imposes unworkable requirements. HB 573 requires: private disclosure of all financial terms of administrative vendor contracts (including those with confidentiality clauses); scripted disclaimers that would consume half of a 30-second radio/video ad; reporting of consumer complaints made to the state that the ministry doesn’t know about; and the public disclosure of the phone number of each ministry’s top leader.
For more facts and information about Texas HB 573, read our legislative claim and response.
Texas HB 573 has been scheduled for a vote in the Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 12th.
Texas residents and supporters of Health Care Sharing Ministries should take a stand for choice in Texas and contact members of the Texas House of Representatives and tell them to vote “NO” on HB 573.
The USA is a Christian country and everyone in the country deserves Christian Healthcare especially Christians.
The same people that claim “healthcare is a right!” now want to take away healthcare options from people? Immoral!
Praise the lord
Jesus is KING👑
I’m planning on applying for Christian health care when my husband retires at the end of the year and I am no longer covered by group health insurance. Bills like this would leave people like me to have to buy on the open market rather than join with a group. Not only could this impose a financial hardship, but also infringe on my rights as a Christian American.
Protect insurance freedoms. Everyone deserves the right to choose which plan is best for their unique situation.
This radical agenda is only going to continue if we don’t stand strong and push back.
Government needs to be limited and stop interfering in other people’s lives
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord! Thank you for all you do!
Im a man of God I love my lord and savior I will do anything in my power to protect Christianity cause our children need to be able to learn about God with out ppl down they’re throats about it
These people responsible need to tell me how this authoritarian/totalitarian effort is NOT an attempt to limit, and eliminate, any way for people to handle their own healthcare expenses. It’s despicable, and I’m so sick of government trying to run my life!
Please vote “NO” on HB 573. Represent the majority not the minority. Defend our freedom and go against corruption in our government!!!
I’m not a crishrans but I’m becoming one and I’ll fight ill protect yall at all cost idc waht it is
I want to protect and stand for Pro-life, and Faith health care in Texas
I stand for my faith.
i believe that we need to stand up for christian community and pro life.
We must vote for Christianity we must make sure our kids grow up to value Gods morals and not have them grow up to morals that the world says is acceptable
Please support Pro-life and limit our governments control!
We deserve better than this, this country started Christianity yet most forget this.
I’m a Christian and this is very true! I want to stand against this