Question for Ex-bethelites: Governing Body Medical Expenses

by sabastious 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • sabastious
    sabastious

    The Governing Body must have health insurance, right? I ask because I was wondering how much money has been spent to keep them alive to such ripe and old ages. Do they all just have impeccable genetics or did they greatly indulge in the worlds medical services to cheat death like the rest of us? Don't you have to work in the United States to be eligible for medicare insurance without a disability?

    How did/does the Governing Body pay their medical bills?

    -Sab

  • blondie
    blondie

    Aren't the GB considered Bethelites? I would think in general they are covered the same way other Bethelites, COs, DOs and their wives are covered. I do know that before the holy insurance program, the CO's wife had cancer and the current circuit got donations from the congregations to pay for it; same way with his car. No lease program back.

  • Iamallcool
    Iamallcool

    sab, they serve 3 nutritious meals daily, thats one of the reasons why they grown old for so long.

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    Bethel is self-insured. When publishers donate to the Worldwide Work, they are donating to fund healthcare for WT volunteers.

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    I do know that before the holy insurance program, the CO's wife had cancer and the current circuit got donations from the congregations to pay for it; same way with his car.

    Ah, so when the need was there the money fell out of the sky in the form of adherents pockets. That's a slippery sloap, I wonder how many Witnesses have died of cancer who sure could have used such a fund raiser.

    -Sab

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    Bethel is self-insured. When publishers donate to the Worldwide Work, they are donating to fund healthcare for WT volunteers.

    Who are the beneficiaries, all bethelites? So if a grunt get's cancer they pay for the entire treatment process?

    -Sab

  • darth frosty
    darth frosty

    my first asshole room mate worked in the bethal infirmery and attended to some gb including franz. they basically have the same doctors availible to the rest of the bethelites. i would imagine that if they needed some specialty treatment they would go out of bethel to find it.

    now this would be availible to most bethelites but some would be required to pay back the extra cost for coverage outside of bethel infirmery.

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    sabastious: Potentially, any Bethelite can be covered. However, newer Bethelites can expect to be sent home if they develop serious medical conditions or if they have a sports-related injury. Or, the Bethelite will be asked to pay out-of-pocket for surgeries, etc, if they want to remain at Bethel. Long-time family members can expect better treatment. However, anyone can be sent home for any reason. Bethel does, however, cover medical expenses for some ex-Bethelites, unders certain circumstances. These persons are usually special pioneers.

  • crazycate
    crazycate

    I know I've heard of people who get sick being sent home. I don't think they would undertake a long treatment process for someone who wasn't high up in the organization.

    As far as living to be quite old, I would imagine the lack of stress in their lives is the major factor. Think about it...what do the rest of us have to deal with, especially in this miserable recesssion? If we can, we pay the high cost of insurance ourselves, and we worry about continuing to be able to pay it. If we can't afford insurance, we worry about getting sick and not being able to afford the treatments we need. We worry about having enough money for food, for clothing, for housing. We worry about losing our home. I can't even imagine what it would be like to NOT have to worry about these things. And forget vacations. We can't afford to get away from it all for even a little while.

    The GB may be able to live like lillies of the field, but I can't, and it's probably aging me every day.

  • undercover
    undercover

    Bethel is self-insured. When publishers donate to the Worldwide Work, they are donating to fund healthcare for WT volunteers.

    ...any Bethelite can be covered. However, newer Bethelites can expect to be sent home if they develop serious medical conditions or if they have a sports-related injury. Or, the Bethelite will be asked to pay out-of-pocket for surgeries, etc, if they want to remain at Bethel. Long-time family members can expect better treatment.

    Remember the great Bethel Layoffs? I'm sure there was no one reason for it, but you can bet your bottom insurance dollar that an aging workforce was putting a strain on the Bethel medical system and they needed to reduce payouts for medical reasons.

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