Christian Health Insurance

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A judge has scheduled a hearing for later this month in a longstanding dispute between Kentucky and a Christians-only health care plan.

The case pits the Kentucky Department of Insurance against Medi-Share, a Florida-based cost-sharing ministry that helps to pay medical bills for churchgoers across the country.

Lawyers for the state have asked Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate to hold Medi-Share in contempt of court for continuing to operate in Kentucky. Medi-Share asked for a hearing to explain changes the ministry has made to comply with Kentucky insurance regulations.

The legal battle involves how tightly the state can regulate Medi-Share, which serves nearly 40,000 people in 49 states, including more than 700 in Kentucky.