Healthcare conversations ongoing

As we noted in the March issue of Momentum, providing health insurance coverage for their ministry teams is one of the most significant financial challenges facing our U.S. churches. And the sense of urgency about this issue grows with each subsequent conversation with pastors and other church leaders. In fact, the need to “do something, and do it quickly” came up again this past week as we met over lunch with a group of Pennsylvania pastors.

The industry professionals with whom we are consulting have advised that the next step in securing reasonably priced health coverage is to complete a census of ministry and other staff in all U.S. churches. This is a big, but necessary, task before insurance companies can provide us with projected rates. We believe a January 2008 rollout of a new Brotherhood Health Plan remains doable with the cooperation of congregational and regional leaders.

As we talk with persons who understand group plans, we keep bumping up against the sticking point that doomed the previous plan—specifically, if there is any hope of success for a church-wide health plan, every congregation will need to participate—with the two exclusions being the amount of time employed (under 30 hours/week) and outside spousal coverage.

Everyone seems to agree that the number of pastoral families struggling to attain health insurance at a cost that is anywhere near affordable has reached an unacceptable level. To correct the situation requires that we seek a creative balance of two values that have significance to us:

Stewardship – that is, our desire that all possible resources are available for ministry and mission; and
Community – that is, our willingness to care for others even if it costs us something.

Leadership Council welcomes input and suggestions. Achieving a successful outcome in the face of escalating rates will require the best thinking of many people from across the church.

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