The Los Angeles Times reports today on the controversy over health insurance for “spiritual healing.” As the Times points out, two powerful Senators – Hatch and Kerry – are pushing a provision in the health care bill that would require insurance companies to consider covering prayer as a valid medical treatment. The provision would benefit the Christian Science community but has been met with considerable resistance from a variety of groups. The Freedom From Religion Foundation fears that this would open the gates to other religious groups looking to be reimbursed for spiritual care and a law professor is quoted as saying this violates the First Amendment since one religious group will receive preferential treatment by the government. And of course, there’s the argument over whether prayer can ever be considered a viable treatment, despite the testimony of one Christian Science Church official who says, “We are making the case for this, believing there is a connection between health care and spirituality.” Read the article and tell us what you think…Does medical coverage for prayer violate the separation of church and state?
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