# Pastors, Clergy & Ministry Staff — Coverage Checklist

*Small church, real options.* Work through this before you shop or renew.

## Get your number right
- [ ] Start from: ministry compensation (excluding qualified housing allowance)
- [ ] Ministers’ tax treatment is unusual — confirm the housing-allowance handling with a preparer who works with clergy.
- [ ] Add all other household income (spouse W-2, side work) — the marketplace wants one combined figure

## The traps in your line of work
- [ ] Have an answer for: A congregation that wants to help but cannot run a group plan
- [ ] Have an answer for: Sharing-ministry marketing that reads like insurance until a claim is declined
- [ ] Have an answer for: Housing allowance and dual-status tax rules muddying the income estimate
- [ ] Have an answer for: Bivocational schedules where neither role offers coverage

## Fast facts to remember
- **Not insurance** — what sharing ministries are
- **QSEHRA** — how a small church can help
- **Housing** — the allowance has its own rules

## Before you enroll
- [ ] List your doctors and check them against the plan network
- [ ] List prescriptions and check the formulary
- [ ] Compare at least two plans on deductible AND network, not premium alone

Full guide: https://bishopplans.com/health-insurance-for/ · Tools: https://bishopplans.com/health-insurance-for/tools/
Free to share. Not legal or tax advice.