HLS 14RS-1950 ORIGINAL
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are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 1110
BY REPRESENTATIVE THIBAUT
INSURANCE/HEALTH: Provides relative to healthcare sharing ministries
AN ACT1
To enact Subpart J-1 of Part I of Chapter 2 of Title 22 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of2
1950, to be comprised of R.S. 22:321, relative to healthcare sharing ministries; to3
provide for the definition of a healthcare sharing ministry; to require written4
statements; to provide with respect to required disclaimers; to provide for the5
exemption from provisions of the state insurance laws; and to provide for related6
matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. Subpart J-1 of Part I of Chapter 2 of Title 22 of the Louisiana Revised9
Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 22:321, is hereby enacted to read as follows:10
SUBPART J-1. HEALTHCARE SHARING MINISTRIES11
ยง321. Healthcare sharing ministries12
A.(1) As used in this Subpart, "healthcare sharing ministry" means a13
faith-based, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that limits its participants to those14
who are of a similar faith and that acts as a facilitator between participants who have15
financial or medical needs and those participants with the ability to provide financial16
or medical assistance in accordance with criteria established by the ministry.17
(2) All financial contributions shall be made without assumption of risk or18
promise to pay by the participants or by the ministry. 19 HLS 14RS-1950 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1110
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B. The ministry shall provide a written monthly statement to all participants1
listing the total dollar amount of qualified financial or medical needs submitted to2
the ministry and the dollar amount actually published or assigned to the participants3
for their contribution.4
C. The ministry shall provide a written disclaimer on all applications and5
guideline materials distributed by or on behalf of the ministry that reads, in6
substance: "Notice: The ministry facilitating the sharing of medical expenses is not7
an insurance company. Neither the guidelines nor the plan of operation of the8
ministry constitutes an insurance policy. Financial assistance for the payment of9
medical expenses is strictly voluntary. Participation in the ministry or a subscription10
to any publication issued by the ministry shall not be considered as enrollment in any11
health insurance plan or as a waiver of your responsibility to pay your medical12
expenses." 13
D. Healthcare sharing ministries shall be exempt from all other provisions14
of the insurance laws of this state unless the ministries are expressly designated15
therein or the provision is specifically made applicable by this Subpart. 16
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Thibaut HB No. 1110
Abstract: Provides for healthcare sharing ministries.
Proposed law defines a "healthcare sharing ministry" as a faith-based, nonprofit, tax-exempt
organization with limited participation to those who are of similar faith and that acts as a
facilitator between the participants who have financial or medical needs and those
participants who have the ability to provide financial or medical assistance.
Proposed law requires financial contributions be made without assumption of risk or the
promise to pay by the participants or by the ministry.
Proposed law requires the ministry to provide written monthly statements to all participants
listing:
(1)The total dollar amount of qualified financial or medical needs submitted to the
ministry. HLS 14RS-1950 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1110
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
(2)The dollar amount actually published or assigned to the participants for their
contribution.
Proposed law requires the ministry to give notice that it is not an insurance company and that
the plan of operation of the ministry is not an insurance policy. The ministry must also give
notice that financial assistance for medical expense payments is voluntary and participation
in the ministry cannot be considered enrollment in any health insurance plan or as a waiver
of responsibility to pay medical expenses.
Proposed law exempts such ministries from all other present law state insurance provisions
unless the ministries are expressly included or the law is specifically made applicable to the
ministries in proposed law.
(Adds R.S. 22:321)