Opting Out

'Old Order' Mennonites and Amish Who Shun Insurance Face Rising Bills. Should Hospitals Cut Them a Break? By GEETA ANAND Wall Street Journal Online June 28, 2008; Page A1 Old Order Amish and Mennonite farmers here suffer from epidemic proportions of certain deadly genetic diseases. As they seek life-saving treatments, the uninsured in these Pennsylvania communities are struggling with escalating costs of care at nonprofit hospitals. Complicating matters is that many of these farmers won't buy health insurance: They believe it is the religious duty of their communities to provide for one another when sick. They don't pay Social Security taxes and reject Medicaid or Medicare benefits, as well as farm subsidies.