For Immediate Release

March 18, 2025

Contact: Court Beyer, cbeyer@americanhumanist.org

WASHINGTON – Today, the Center for Freethought Equality – the advocacy arm of the American Humanist Association, applauds New York State Assemblyman David Weprin for his leadership and introduction of General Assembly bill A5438 that would give New York health care consumers essential information to help protect themselves from the deceptive practices of health care sharing ministries.

Most health care sharing ministries, also known as health sharing plans, are religious organizations that advertise alongside health insurance options; however, unlike health insurance, health care sharing ministries are not required to pay medical claims, and often deny or reject coverage based on religious or moral grounds.

Health sharing plans are allowed to participate adjacent to the insurance marketplace and many consumers across the country – 1.7 million enrollees and counting – are opting into these plans because of promised lower payments than traditional health insurance.

“New Yorkers deserve quality health care coverage – not shadowy corporations that steal their money and deny them care,” said New York Assemblyman David Weprin. “I am proud to sponsor this critical legislation that will protect New Yorkers from these unregulated companies.”

“The work that Assemblyman Weprin is leading to bring transparency and oversight to these predatory and deceptive health care sharing ministries is commendable, and we are proud to partner with him to help protect New York consumers,” said Fish Stark, Executive Director of the Center for Freethought Equality. “The absolute last thing any family needs is a surprise bill for medical care they thought was covered. Denying vulnerable people health care coverage – and defrauding them when they need it most, is reprehensible. And it’s exactly what health sharing plans do.

“As humanists, we believe everyone has the right to make informed decisions about their health care. A5438 will bring much-needed transparency to these deceptive organizations, and provide New Yorkers with basic but essential information about the benefits– or lack thereof– these organizations provide. Humanists urge New York lawmakers to pass this bill without delay.”

A5438, if enacted, would:

• Require any entity that offers or sells a health care cost sharing arrangement in the state to submit annual information, including the total number of New York participants in the plan, the total number of participants in the plan nationally, and the total number of employer groups participating in the plan;

• Require financial and operational information to be submitted annually, which would include the total fees, dues or other payments the plan collected from participants, the total payout from the plan for health care costs, and the number of claims that were denied by the plan;

• Mandate that health care sharing ministries explicitly make disclosures of medical services the plan will and will not cover, a list of all health care providers and adjacent services that participate in the plan, and a description of any enrollment eligibility rules or conditions, such as age or marital status; and

•  Include reporting enforcement mechanisms that hold health care sharing ministries accountable, such as fines and suspension for noncompliance.

To read the full text of the amended language to A5438, click here: https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2025/A5438.

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The Center for Freethought Equality (CFE) is the political and advocacy arm of the American Humanist Association. CFE is dedicated to advancing the policy interests of humanists and atheists, and politically empowering our community in the United States. Alongside its advocacy and organizing efforts, CFE has an affiliated political action committee, the Center for Freethought Equality PAC, whose mission is to achieve equality for our community by increasing the number of open humanists and atheists, and allies, in public office at all levels of government. 

The American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming worldview of humanism, which—without beliefs in gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.