LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1992, Sheet 194

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LATE REPORTS AND OVERTURES - 193

Wuereas, The Concordia Health Plan, with its primary
focus on reimbursing costs of illness, continues to rise in
cost while at the same time increasing deductible provi-
sions and decreasing benefits (dental care for retirees to-
tally eliminated in 1991); and

Wuereas, New national and organizational models on *

primary preventive health care are emerging to control
costs (e.g., “Healthy People 2000: National Health Pro-
motion and Disease Prevention Objectives”; “The Church’s
Challenge in Health”; church-based family health centers;
and parish nurses); and

Wuereas, There is a growing urgency to balance the
medical care model (taking care of sick people) with a 'pri-

mary preventive health care wellness model (keeping —

healthy people healthy); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Concordia Health Plan Board review
its present policy of reimbursement for illness costs alone
and establish a policy for reimbursement of preventive
health care services and healthy lifestyle incentives by al-
locating funds for research and development which em-
phasize prevention “and education and by using
comprehensive health tisk data and medical services re-
search methods; and be it further

Resolved, That the new preventive health care policy
support and reward personal health quality improvement

and family health maintenance practices which reduce”

Concordia Health Plan medical premiums and medical
care costs; and be it further

Resolved, That the Concordia Health Plan Board) (a)
collaborate with the LCMS Commission on Ministerial
Growth and Support and the LCMS Standing Committee
on Health and Healing to develop a preventive health care
research and development management plan and (b) i in
direct collaboration with Districts and congregations
jointly craft a policy on health quality which includes pre-
ventive health objectives and a health support structure
at the District level; and be it further

Resolved, That preventive health care program devel-
opment include seed money for pilot or demonstration proj-
ects with District applicants and District-level continuing
education and ministerial health linkages; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Concordia Health Plan report to|the
1995 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod convention! (1)
the research and development study results; (2) the inelu-
sion of healthy lifestyle incentives in policies and proce-
dures; (3) a new preventive health policy in addition to its
present medical model that includes three measurable
goals: (a) reducing health risks, (b) reducing premature
morbidity and mortality, and (c) continuing health quality
improvement.

Circuit Counselors Conference
Southeastern District
Richard T. Hinz, President
Identical or similar:

L7-34B and C .
Prince of Peace, Springfield,| VA
Harold Stults, President
Redeemer, Hyattsville, MD
Eric G. Peterson, Pastor

L7-35A

To Develop Wholeness and Health Models
for Congregations

Wuereas, God defends the cause of the healthy and the
sick and calls upon Christians to demonstrate stewardship
. and express compassion (Deut. 10:18); and
Wuereas, Christ healed the sick, and God wills through
the Gospel that people should be whole; and
Wuereas, 34 to 37 million Americans cannot obtain
medical care or preventive health care; and
Wuereas, Preventive care and health lifestyle
. changes—consistent with God’s will to preserve, protect,
and enhance the gift of life—can significantly impact per-
sonal health; and
Wuereas, We, as Lutheran Christians.and American
citizens, have individual] and collective responsibitities to
improve the health of individuals in Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod congregations and in our nation; therefore
t be it ‘
i Resolved, That LCMS congregations, chuich leadership,
' and church professionals promote personal wholeness and
health consistent with Christian stewardship; and be it
{ further
| Resolved, That as Lutheran Christian citizens our mem-
, bers speak to the reform and improvement of medical care
policies and the health care delivery system to better re-
} flect biblical stewardship; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS Standing Committee on
| Health and Healing provide health information and health
\ program models of Christian action to LCMS congrega-
| tions and Districts; and be it further
| Resolved, That health model development for congre-
| gations and Districts be based on the theologies of whole-
ness, health, and healing to serve as a unifying and
| empowering vision for focused health promotion imple-
mentation plans; and be it further
Resolved, That models be developed to support a goal
, of continuous health quality improvement, and be it
: further
| Resolved, That during 1992 the LCMS Standing Com-
mittee on Health and Healing collaborate with the LCMS
Commission on Theology and Church Relations for devel-
} oping (1) a theology of wholeness, (2) a theology of health,
‘ and (3) a theology of healing; and be it further
| Resolved, That during 1992 the LCMS Standing Com-
mittee on Health and Healing collaborate with the Con-
‘ cordia Health Plan for developing a strategic information
\ profile of preventable illnesses; and be it further
| Resolved, That during 1992 the LCMS Standing Com-
. mittee on Health and Healing collaborate with the LCMS
‘ Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support to develop
. a management plan that inserts programs which support
_ preventive health concepts and health quality improve-
ment into the continuing education of church profession-
als, as well as increasing professional skill levels; and be
} it finally
Resolved, That during 1993 the LCMS Standing Com-
mittee on Health and Healing be the focal point for de-