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Nov. 24, 2010 |
CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS TAP PODESTA FOR HEALTH LAW |
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By Kevin McCauley
The Christian Science Church has hired Podesta Group to handle health insurance issues related to coverage of spiritual care.
During the debate over healthcare reform, a provision that would have provided Christian Science spiritual healing treatments the same coverage as clinical medicine was stricken from the bill.
Groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation argued that conferring that kind of legitimacy on practices outside "scientific medicine," according to a Sept. 27 report in the Denver Post.
The Christian Scientist position is that if the government is going to mandate health insurance it should allow people the right to choose the type of care they receive. The bulk of the health law goes into effect in 2014.
Podesta is working for the Christian Science Committee on Publication, which is the PR arm of the Church. Its goal is to convey information about Church practices and its founder Mary Baker Eddy, who established the religion in Boston in 1879. It now has more than 1,800 branches and societies worldwide.
Podesta staffers working the account are Stephen Northrup (former health policy adviser to Wyoming Republican Senator Mike Enzi), David Marin (press secretary/legislative director to ex-Virginia Republican Congressman Tom Davis) and Aranthan Jones (ex-health policy director at th Congressional Black Caucus.)
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