# Does this Christian Health Plan practice religious discrimination? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295 "2017-12-12T17:07:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/21 "2017-12-15T16:14:13Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Of course you can. What would prevent you? > > Apparently, some people believe that no group activity can proceed without the blessing and sanction of some level of government. I obviously wasn’t talking _just_ about forming such a group. IF I formed such a group that was not religiously themed/based, would my group be exempt from participating in the ACA? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/22 "2017-12-15T16:15:33Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > Czar, I looked into this [six years ago.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=594360) I still doubt there are any loopholes for infidels. Thanks for that link. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/23 "2017-12-15T16:17:37Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Prayers sent your way! > [@Czarcasm](#): > > And in return, I shall sacrifice a goat in your name. Blessed be! Hare Rama Hare Hare!! ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/24 "2017-12-15T17:15:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m not sure if I want people _who have never met me_ decide whether I am Christian enough and/or my medical problem is righteous enough to receive their money. You think you’d have better luck with people that HAVE? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/25 "2017-12-15T17:29:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I obviously wasn’t talking _just_ about forming such a group. IF I formed such a group that was not religiously themed/based, would my group be exempt from participating in the ACA? The language of the IRS exemption description favors explicitly religious organizations, but does use the phrase “a common set of **ethical** or religious beliefs”, so if you can come up with a convincing irreligious ethical basis behind your organization, then yes. But if your organizational basis is “I don’t want to pay the non-participation tax”, don’t expect any traction. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/26 "2017-12-15T17:35:35Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The language of the IRS exemption description favors explicitly religious organizations, but does use the phrase “a common set of **ethical** or religious beliefs”, so if you can come up with a convincing irreligious ethical basis behind your organization, then yes. But if your organizational basis is “I don’t want to pay the non-participation tax”, don’t expect any traction. Then you have answered your own question in post #20 as to what would stop me, haven’t you? ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/27 "2023-03-01T17:49:15Z")
I’ve been listening to the right-wing Fox owned radio station WABC in New York City and they have ads for Medishare. I’ve been thinking “This has to be scam”. Turns out… Yep! > **[A Christian Health Nonprofit Saddled Thousands With Debt as It Built a Family...](https://www.propublica.org/article/liberty-healthshare-healthcare-sharing-ministries-obamacare)** > > Despite a history of fraud, one family has thrived in the regulatory no man’s land of health care sharing ministries, where insurance commissioners can’t investigate, federal agencies turn a blind eye and prosecutors reach paltry settlements. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295/28 "2023-03-02T01:34:37Z")
American religion and the American healthcare system? It’s not shocking to discover that the result of this was fucked-up-squared. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-christian-health-plan-practice-religious-discrimination/804295.md?page=1)