By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources
DALLAS, Texas – Continued uncertainty in the health care marketplace with the repeal of the individual mandate coming in 2019 and reductions in the number of individuals served by the health care exchanges has some pastors and ministry workers wondering about health care options this year.
Further, the Affordable Care Act continues to drive up costs for consumers nationwide. GuideStone recognizes that affordability is the issue for most all of us, and while, like others, we are not immune from the financial pressures caused by the 2010 law, we are working diligently every day to develop options that reflect the values of our participants and keep costs extremely competitive in the marketplace.
GuideStone’s Personal Plans health plans may be options for churches with a single staff member, usually the pastor.
“We take seriously our ministry assignment from Southern Baptists to make ‘available life and health coverage,’ to our churches and ministry organizations, especially those pastors serving out at the crossroads,” GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins said. “We’d encourage any pastor of a single staff-member church to call GuideStone and see if we may be able to serve him and his family.”
For GuideStone to serve a pastor or other single staff member, he must be a paid employee of an eligible church or ministry that is affiliated with or shares common religious bonds with the Southern Baptist Convention and works 20 or more hours per week.
GuideStone’s personal health care coverage options include traditional PPO plans, an economy PPO plan and a federally-qualified High Deductible Health Plan designed to be paired with a Health Savings Account.
Churches and pastors interested in seeing if GuideStone can serve them in the individual marketplace should call 1-844-INS-GUIDE (1-844-467-4843) or visit the GuideStone website.
