Supporting healing through skillful Christian Science nursing care and training, inspired living, and Christly service.

Since its founding in 1926, Arden Wood has maintained its focus on spiritual healing and advancement of the Christian Science religion. We offer a residential and care facility with a Christian Science nursing care facility, a visiting nurse program for the greater San Francisco Bay area, and Christian Science Nursing Arts Training CSNA.

Our residents have an opportunity to rent spacious residential apartments that are comfortable and inviting. They enjoy delicious and balanced meals, weekly housekeeping services, beautiful gardens and woodland pathways, fully-equipped libraries, metaphysical talks, Bible classes, hymn sings, and a host of other enriching activities both on and off campus.

The CSNA program is designed for individuals who feel they are called to the ministry of Christian Science nursing. The program includes classroom sessions and mentoring instruction, with the cost of instruction included in the course tuition. The CSNA course can also be taken as a home study course.

We are pleased to provide information on Medicare and its provision for religious nonmedical Arden Wood Christian Science care provided by Christian Science nurses. This booklet cannot explain exactly how Medicare works in any particular situation, so you should consult a knowledgeable personal advisor, such as an attorney or benefits specialist, to help determine how the law applies to your individual circumstances.

Arden Wood provides limited financial assistance and benevolence grants to qualified patients who can demonstrate that they need help paying for their Christian Science nursing care. You can apply for assistance by downloading an application from our website or calling the Business Office.

In the last several years, a number of religious nonmedical homes, including Arden Wood, have sought to obtain special Medicare status in order to offer their Christian Science nursing services under Part B of Medicare. This section of the Social Security Act authorizes the federal government to pay for religious nonmedical home health care that meets certain criteria, including whether the provider is a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. 501 c 3.

However, in April of this year, the Administrative Appeals Office of the Social Security Administration denied these petitions. The decision of the Appeals Office was based on a finding that the documentation submitted by Arden Wood, which included a letter from the IRS recognizing its tax-exempt status, did not show that it is a religious organization under the provisions of 8 C.F.R. 204.5 m 2 and 3, as it must be to qualify for the granting of a religious worker visa. The case was appealed to this Court. Upon consideration of the arguments presented herein, the Court dismisses the case without prejudice. This ruling is not intended to preclude the filing of a subsequent action in federal district court. If such a suit is filed, the parties will have an opportunity to present additional evidence on this issue. If you have questions regarding this decision, please contact the Office of General Counsel.