Salt Lake Crawler

Despite his opposition, Sen. Orrin Hatch has slipped a faith-healing provision into the healthcare reform bill that would cover Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

Hatch put it in with the backing of Democratic Sens. John Kerry and his old friend, late Ted Kennedy, both of Massachusetts, of the Church of Christ, Scientist. (Not to be confused with Orrin's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints based in Utah.

Phil Davis, a senior Christian Science Church official, says prayer treatment is an effective alternative to conventional healthcare

"We are making the case for this, believing there is a connection between healthcare and spirituality. We think this is an important aspect of the solution, when you are talking about not only keeping the cost down, but finding effective healthcare."

The measure would put prayer treatments -- which devout Christian Scientists sometimes use in place of medical treatments -- on the same footing as clinical medicine. Hatch's provision doesn't mention any church by name, but it would prohibit discrimination against "religious and spiritual healthcare."

It is unclear whether the provision would leave the door open to coverage of American Indian sweat lodges and evangelical Christian laying on of hands.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, says the provision violates church-state separation and is an invitation for other religious groups to demand similar coverage.

"This would be an absolute invitation to organize."

Hatch who says the Democrats' plan will lead to socialism and the collapse of the two-party system, doesn't seem to have a problem with government funding religious rites.