Why Not Psychic Surgery?

Coming soon to an HCR reform bill near you:

Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

[...]

The measure would put Christian Science prayer treatments -- which substitute for or supplement medical treatments -- on the same footing as clinical medicine. While not mentioning the church by name, it would prohibit discrimination against "religious and spiritual healthcare."

Oh, so by the wording psychic surgery would be covered. As would, I assume, "healing" crystals and "therapeutic touch".

Or maybe not:

The Internal Revenue Service allows the cost of the prayer sessions to be counted among itemized medical expenses for income tax purposes -- one of the only religious treatments explicitly identified as deductible by the IRS. Some federal medical insurance programs, including those for military families, also reimburse for prayer treatment.

The spiritual healing provision was introduced in the House by Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), whose district includes a Christian Science school, Principia College.

The IRS and allows the cost of Christian Science "treatments" to be deducted and other agencies reimburse for same? Really? Isn't there a slight First Amendment problem here?

And isn't this the same Rep. John Shimkus (R-Illinoiing) who opposes any HCR at all? Why, yes it is!

The Senate version was, unsurprisingly, introduced by cult member Orrin Hatch (R-LDS), and was supported, surprisingly, by Sen. John Kerry and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy - who hail from the "home to the headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist."

So if you're keeping score at home, at least one valid medical procedure will likely be prohibited while at least some forms of magical "healing" would be allowed.

Our nation is batshit insane.

[Minor edit at 8.06am]

[Via watertiger.]

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Comments

[Ol'Froth]

However, because health care reform might, might cover some abortions, an actual surgical procedure, some Democrats are holding up the bill. Magic, however, is OK.