Yes, that's right! In our little family, we have absolutely no medical insurance. And yet we sleep like babies at night, confident that we'll be able to address whatever medical bills might come our way.
(I mean no, we don't actually sleep like babies. But that's more because of the babies and nothing to do with our healthcare situation.)
The secret is our cost-sharing ministry; we're members of Samaritan Ministries. Since joining a year and a half ago, I have absolutely fallen in love with this model and I have shared eagerly about it with anyone who has been willing to listen. It's a totally refreshing perspective on what is usually a very humdrum part of life. Moreover, I have been astounded to learn how much more some of my fully-insured friends are paying for their coverage – both on a month-to-month basis and when actual medical needs arise – than we are.
What is A Cost-Sharing Ministry/What is Samaritan?
To put it succinctly (and I will refer you to their very thorough site for all the details), Samaritan is a network of Christian households who all pay each other's medical expenses rather than using insurance companies. Each member or household owes a certain fixed amount each month (a reasonable rate, compared to the cost of insurance) and that money is directed to pay for whatever needs have arisen among the body of members. It is organized very smoothly and everyone is taken care of.
Members do not send our money to a central pool; instead, the main role of the folks at Samaritan is to tell us each month where to send our money, and we just send our check to that person or family in need. That person in need directly paid his doctor, and now we are directly reimbursing him. No middle man.
As members, we are “cash-pay” patients; when we see a doctor or go to the ER, we simply state that we don't have insurance and will be paying out of pocket, and we go from there. We know that, should the cost of any health issue or incident rise above a certain amount ($300), it will be submitted to the network as a “Need” to be “Shared” among all the members, and we will be reimbursed for anything over that $300.*
Why did we choose to do this crazy thing?
Tomorrow I will get into further, practical detail to explain how the process of “submitting a Need” works, as well as some other thoughts.
For now, let me break down the reasons why this works for us and why we love it.
Samaritan Ministries is Affordable.
When The Artist and I made the choice that he would leave his teaching position at the excellent school where he was furnished with comfortable benefits in order to be a starving artist pursue his studies, we knew that we would need a new plan for paying the ole bills. After a friend told us about Samaritan and what a great experience his family was having with it, it didn't take us long to get interested in – and then excited about – this idea. We joined just before our plan at his old work ended.
Now, I am no expert on how typical insurance works. But I hear loved ones talking about yearly plans and premiums and deductibles and monthly rates… and at the end of the day, they often have no idea what they'll be paying for a given month or year, and often they're not even sure if they're covered for all contingencies. With Samaritan, we have one, reasonable, fixed price we pay each month, and that is all. The only surprise we get is if the rate for that month happens to be lower, which has happened a couple times while we've been members.
As good as our insurance was with his old job, let it be noted that we paid more for Finnabee's birth at that time than we would have had we been insurance-free as Samaritan members. (!)
For Peabodee's prenatal care, home birth, and post-partum care (all at an excellent standard), we ended up paying $0. Yes, you read that correctly. I will explain in tomorrow's post with more details, but just hang on to that figure: $0.
We feel Secure.
Samaritan consists of 50,000 households. {7/21/2017 update: Samaritan now has ~70,000 households!} There is a lot of strength in those numbers. With every member household being prepared to send a certain amount every month, each member is covered for any “Need” up to $250,000.
In addition, there is an option to agree to set aside an additional amount each month for a catastrophic event, and this program is called Save to Share. By participating in Save to Share, we're covered for virtually any event that we might encounter.
We are confident, relying on the Christian responsibility of the members, that whatever comes up — from an ear infection to a year-long stay in the hospital — we will be able to pay the bills.
Samaritan Integrates our Health Care with our Faith Life
Before hearing about Samaritan, it honestly had not occurred how much health care could be integrated with my Faith, except to the extent that there are certain procedures or medical practices I might object to on a Faith-based level.
It has been edifying to see how our whole approach to health care can shift when we know that we'll be asking our Christian brethren to foot our bills. In effect, we are taking responsibility not only of our co-pays and our “patient portions,” but also our every doctor's visit; the whole bill for any care. And we are doing so with trust in God's people.
It's a reminder that our health is in God's hands as much as anything else. We should be praying about anything that we're suffering and praying for others as well. When members send their monthly checks to each other, we're encouraged to send along notes as well, offering support and comfort to the members who are in need that month. And prayer is the cornerstone of the whole operation. So we don't just send a check to Mr. Joe Smith who had a knee operation; we also remember him in our prayers all month and pray, specifically, for his knee! It's powerful to be in a network of people who are doing this for one another.
Imagine calling up your insurance company to talk to them about a bill from a provider, and, after a very brief wait, talking to a calm, friendly person who addresses all your needs completely, refers to you and your loved ones by name, and then ends the (exquisitely peaceful) phone call with a prayer for the health of the person on whose behalf you're calling.
Hard to believe, perhaps, but that is my experience when calling up the Samaritan offices. I'm not calling up a stranger in an insurance office; I'm calling a brother or sister in Christ.
We Love Samaritan's Philosophy
Being part of this Ministry is a very practical way to live out some things we care about and believe in deeply: personal responsibility, love for neighbor, and the principle of subsidiarity. Samaritan encourages relying on one another as Christians rather than on insurance companies and/or the State. And it's smart: in theory we know that the medical industry is wildly inefficient and bloated, and here we have a way to combat that, simply by carrying out our regular health care business in an alternative way.
Because the members are “cash-pay” patients, we have an incentive to seek the lowest-cost care and to negotiate bills. Most providers and hospitals have programs in place to offer discounts for non-insured patients, and we seek those out. Whereas when I had insurance I glanced over my bills just to find out how much I owed as my “patient portion,” I now want to know exactly where the money is going and for what purposes. As I get more accustomed to all of this, I'm becoming a smarter health customer rather than a helpless patient. The more that individuals are able to take control of their health care choices this way, the more we chip away at the staggering waste in the medical industry.
Back before employers began offering health benefits as a way to get around wage freezes at the time of WWII, there was more of this kind of thing: community institutions that would provide security that families couldn't always get on their own. I love that we are tapping back into that kind of service in the 21st century.
Samaritan is an Ethical Alternative to Obamacare
It brings us considerable peace knowing that our money does not go towards the coverage of abortion, abortifacient drugs, or even contraception, which we wouldn't have been able to say about any plan we would have had to buy through the government exchanges. Samaritan members are legally exempt from the Affordable Care Act, so we get to sidestep all of that. Because of the pledges that every Samaritan member makes (e.g., to drink only in moderation; to abstain from any sexual activity outside of a Biblical marriage, etc.), and because the system is so transparent, we know exactly what we're paying for (and not paying for) every month.
When the time to file taxes came around this year, we simply filled out a short, additional form that indicated that we are part of a cost-sharing ministry, and bada-bang, bada-boom, we're Obamacare-Free.
We have More Flexibility
Since we don't have insurance, we are not bound to any insurance company's network. We can pick and choose as to doctors and practices – my only limitation for choosing a doctor, frankly, is how far I'm willing to drive! We hear about, for example, a member who knows he needs a certain operation being able to look all around the country, and even internationally, to find the best price for that operation. (This factor could actually be a source of authentic reform in the medical system, because it forces a market to emerge where market influences are otherwise stifled by insurance cartels. It's pretty awesome.)
I was initially intimidated by the idea of walking into an office and declaring myself to be uninsured, but I've found that it is actually quite freeing. I no longer feel that I'm just a number on a chart, being pushed through a practice's system in order for them to check off their boxes; I seek out what care I want, and I can also decline care that I don't – I'm paying for it, after all! Of course you can do this as an insured patient as well, but the mental shift that I've experienced as a Samaritan member has been empowering.
As you may have guessed, I am a Samaritan Enthusiast. In tomorrow's post I will try to spell out the nitty-gritty of how the process works. I'll also do my best to answer questions in the comment section as well!
*See tomorrow's post for more details. Short story: if you can get your costs negotiated down, you don't have to even pay that full initial $300. And if you're having a rough year and have already submitted three Needs, the fourth Need (and any following) within the same 12-month period will be fully covered, including that first $300. In other words, unexpected/accident-related health care costs aren't going to cost you more than $900 in a given 12-month period.
Why We Love Being Medically Uninsured: Part 2
~~
Full Disclosure: I am not receiving any kind of payment nor compensation from Samaritan Ministries nor any associated party. I'm just a true believer in this model and would love to see it spread! There are other cost-sharing ministries out there, so I'd say check them all out and see if any of them would work for you!
That being said, if you do decide to look into Samaritan and end up choosing to become a member, we would be very appreciative if you mention our names (John and Deirdre Folley) as referring members when it comes time to fill out your start-up forms: we would receive a credit on our monthly share that would be a great help to us, especially while The Artist is in training!
Jennifer says
I am glad to read this post, and I look forward to your next one about how you submit needs, etc. We recently had a job change which allowed us to be able to join Samaritan and we’ve been members since May of this year. I am sending our share this month to a family whose baby was born early and had some complications. We feel good about our choice and even better about what we are NOT contributing to! Thanks for writing and sharing this with us!
Amy Z says
Is there ever a chance that you could become financially strained because of catastrophic health issues of other members? I wonder if this opens up the feelings of “so and so is having lots of health issues and I’m having to pay for it”. Or do you find that this is not an issue because people know they will be take care of when their time comes? I’d love to know more about seeking out efficient care (not paying for things I don’t need) and negotiating. Would that be better if we all did that whether we’re insured or not? So many questions, this is really interesting. Thanks for posting.
Maria says
Your monthly share is set, though increases could happen if voted in. Also, if you opt in to the additional sharing, that’s set as well. I believe not more than an additional monthly payment over year course of a year? But limited. So theoretically not too crazy. Also, the lifestyle of many who sign up is naturally a certain kind that eliminates or lowers many risk factors, further lowered by pledging not to drink or use tobacco excessively. Okay, I’ll quiet down now, just saw these questions and thought I’d take a stab.
Victoria says
No. You have a limited share amount each month. If there are more medical needs in a month than share money, the excess bills get rolled into the next month. We use Samaritan, and the fee has gone up only once since we became members 2.5 yrs ago. Several months we have gotten a discount when there was more share many than needs. Also, there are so many households, we have never seen the same name twice.
Victoria says
Share money*
Deirdre says
Amy, like these ladies said, your amount remains fixed each month.
And yes, I’m sure that if we all were to track down all our itemized statements for every medical expense, we’d all play a role in fighting back against bureaucratic inefficiency! But, honestly, one has more access and much more motivation when one doesn’t have insurance!
Mattie says
Hello Deirdre!
Thanks for this great post on Samaritan Ministries! We have been with Samaritan for four years now and we LOVE it!! We have been with them through two pregnancies, multiple visits to the ER (that’s what happens when you have kids 😉 and regular health check up and have never had any issues! We have been blessed multiple times with the generosity of others when we have posted needs that do not qualify for the regular stuff (teeth, etc..) and have been able to bless others with similar needs. It is by far the best thing that we have ever joined as far as health and christian brotherhood goes :). I’m sure you will mention it but the newsletter that we receive every month is worth is weight in gold as well! By reading it and following many of the health tip they provide we have been healthier than ever and are enjoying it 😉
We are really very pleased with Samaritan Ministries and LOVE it!
Deirdre says
Thanks, Mattie! Yes, I will be mentioning the newsletter!
Emily D. says
This is interesting….but I’m wondering how it works for people who have HUGE medical needs, all the time. Me, for instance–I had a double-lung transplant. I mean, that’s millions of dollars, and my regular insurance covered that. I see specialists all the time. I’m on expensive medications. I’d be interested in knowing more about this–and I’ll definitely be back tomorrow to read–but right now I’m wondering if this is more for people with more, er , “regular” health care needs, as opposed to people like me.
Susan says
I’m wondering the same. I have a son with serious special needs: tons of specialists, tons of equipment. I’ll have to look into what that would look like.
Tara says
This is my question too – she mentions a 250,000 limit but if you have a chronic disease or even a single major event you can eat through that amount of money in no time at all.
Sarah says
They do exclude from ‘sharing’ any expenses related to pre-existing conditions. They don’t exclude people with pre-existing conditions from membership, but if (let’s say) I had diabetes before joining, I’d have to cover the expenses related to the diabetes myself. So yes, it’s more of an option for people who do not have major chronic health issues, I would say. If I recall correctly, the only exception to this is for newborns and newly adopted children.
Deirdre says
I’ll be getting into this a bit in tomorrow’s post. Feel free to follow up if I haven’t quite answered your question!
Cat says
I’ve been interested in cost-share ministries, but what is holding me back is an awful experience I had when paying cash for a hospital test. My insurance did not cover the test, so I tried to pay upfront. I was met with much confusion, and told that they couldn’t tell me exactly how much the procedure would cost, because they normally dealt with insurances. I payed several hundred dollars at check-in, and then later recieved two more bills for two separate doctors which I payed. Then a YEAR later, my mother called to tell me a collection agency had contacted her at her work, saying I had more outstanding bills at the hospital. Somehow the billing department had messed up my address (and never bothered to contact the referring doctor, whose care I was still under and talked to weekly) and I never got the additional bills– which I did not know to expect, because they could not tell me ahead of time of the charges. This was very embarrasing for my mother and myself. I don’t think the current medical system is set up to deal with those who don’t have insurance, and in fact I think they deal with self-pay patients with very little compassion. I’d be very nervous of putting myself in that situation again, especially if it was a stressful time, like a medical emergency or a recovery period. I’d be very curious if any members had problems when trying to self-pay.
Jana says
I wonder if this was a long while ago? Typically, procedures do not have a fixed cost because in our broken system, insurers or governments only pays a percentage of each bill and the provider forgives the difference or issues a co-pay. So docs have to overcharge on their bills to get a reasonable percentage from the govn’t or insurance company. This means that a self-paying patient can ask for the “self-pay rate,” which is always lower than the ‘rack-rate’ that docs charge insurers knowing they will get paid less. We are self-payers, and I have only encountered one confused doctor’s office, but we negotiated a reduced “self-pay rate.” This was a big eye-opener for me, how fluid all this medical billing stuff is. As Samaritan members, we are obliged to negotiate the lowest cost with each provider. It’s a steep learning curve, but it gets easy quickly, and it sounds way easier than dealing with Obamacare. Also, there is a huge increase in a new phenom called “concierge doctors” – basically, you pay the doc a yearly rate for your family, and the doc agrees to office visits at drastically reduced cost and on-call for all questions by phone.
Cat says
This was about 5 years ago now I think, definately pre Obamacare. I totally agree with you about no fixed costs in medicine– I worked in healthcare for a while and was astonished at the huge rates “billed” to insurance companies, but that the companies did not actually pay because of negotiated deals. It is so confusing to try and figure out the actual costs for things.
Deirdre says
Cat, I agree that the system isn’t set up for us non-insured, but I think they’re learning! As far as I understand, it’s a fast-growing trend and the system is going to have to give way a bit to accommodate us, hopefully to everyone’s benefit (except for, maybe, the bigwigs at the top – financially speaking).
That being said, I haven’t run into any unpleasantness. Actually, I have had an issue with a debt collection agency, but it was related to my hospital visit with my first childbirth — when I had insurance! It was a similar situation of the hospital failing to bill me until a YEAR later when I randomly heard of it for the *first time* from the debt collector!! So absurd! So I would say that that kind of thing can happen whether or not you’re cash-pay. Like Jana says, the whole system is so ridiculous that there are bound to be these accidents, and it’s good to know that there is a LOT of leeway because, in fact, very few people actually know what anything costs or is – strictly speaking – worth in the medical world.
Teresa says
How do you guys reconcile your Catholic faith with the requirement to sign a heretical statement of faith?
Deirdre says
Teresa, if we thought it was heretical of us to sign it, we wouldn’t have joined! We find that we agree with the other members on those essential tenets (but would disagree with some about further details).
Jana says
We just crossed out the heretical bits and wrote in an acceptable alternative. (For example: We changed the word ‘faith’ to ‘grace’ in the saved-by-faith-alone bit.)
Maria says
The only thing we found at odds was the drinking and smoking bits, but it’s not an issue for us personally. What did you find heretical..? Even our parish priest looked it over, as his signature is required, and didn’t say anything..
Maria says
This is the relevant bit I see, but I don’t see anything heretical:
A.Be a professing Christian according to Biblical
principles. Romans 10:9-10, John 3:3
B. Be in agreement with the following member
statement of faith:
I believe in the triune God of the Bible. He is one God Who is revealed in three distinct Persons—God, the Father; God, the Son; and God the Holy Spirit.1
I believe Jesus Christ was God in the flesh—fully God and fully man.2 He was born of a virgin,3 lived a sinless life,4 died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins,5 was bodily resurrected on the third day,6 and now is seated in the heavens at the right hand of God, the Father.7
I believe that all people are born with a sinful nature8 and can be saved from eternal death only by trusting in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.9
Jana says
I think it’s been toned down since we signed on. We had to change some words before we signed. Still, we chose to stay with Samaritan even after a Catholic alternative became available because all that improvident Catholic cheerfulness costs way more than evangelical fervor!!
Teresa says
It’s this part: I believe that all people are born with a sinful nature8 and can be saved from eternal death only by trusting in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.9
The sinful nature part is problematic, although it might not stick out as such to someone with no theological training. My husband, for example, thought it meant original sin; but the Protestant conception of sinful nature is not the same as the Catholic doctrine of original sin. One might be able to simply have a mental reservation here about precisely what one meant. But the second half of the sentence is more clearly problematic. Catholics simply don’t believe that we are saved “only by trusting in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection”.
Amber says
What do Catholics believe? Curious. ..
Maria says
This is for clarification AND discussion, not trying to argue just for the fun of it, lest you think I’m trolling around. I really would like to know if this seemingly minute difference in verbiage makes a real difference in life/faiths, etc. ie, whether I’m using a loophole to take advantage of something we like the idea of or whether it’s possible to, in good conscience, sign. Also, I guess the Curo version would eliminate all of this.. And if you’re not interested in a discussion, certainly you’re not obligated. Basically trying to say I’m not looking for a fight :]
Anyyyway:
To me it seems like if I can reasonably construe what they’re saying, or asking me to say, as that which the Church teaches, it’s okay. Again, reasonably, not twisting words or redefining them. Like, I can see us having sinful natures, certainly prebaptism. The catechism says our natures are inclined to sin.
(405 Although it is proper to each individual,295 original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam’s descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin – an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence”. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle.)
Also, perhaps ‘only by trusting’ can simply mean that without that trust we can’t expect saving? As opposed to sola fide? (Ie only if x occurs can ‘progress’ be made, as opposed to solely via x and nothing else)
(Here’s an interesting bit I just found while hunting around: “At the close of the last liturgical year, Pope Benedict XVI made a startling proclamation: “Luther’s expression sola fide is true if faith is not opposed to charity, to love” (Wednesday Audience, Nov. 19, 2008). At first, this statement might seem to collide with Trent: “If anyone says that the godless are justified by faith alone . . . let him be anathema” (Trent, VI, canon 9). Again, “For faith, unless hope and charity are added thereto, neither unites one perfectly with Christ nor makes one a living member of his body” (Trent, VI, ch. 7).
There are differences of expression, emphasis, and insight here. But do the differences constitute contradictions? Heavens no!”
http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/justification-sola-fide)
Deirdre says
Teresa, I agree with you that we Catholics understand these words differently from how most Protestants understand them. We don’t consider that we are signing on to all of those nuances when we’re assenting to those principles; we are rather just saying that yes, we believe that man has a fallen nature and that Christ is the source of redemption, and the basic truths that that entails in so far as it makes us able to relate to this community of members.
Victoria says
Hmm, I don’t remember the statement of faith being at odds with Catholic beliefs. Now, to be a board member of Samaritan is a different story. We could never be board members as one has to be more specific about what you believe. It keeps the ministry pretty firmly in fundamentalist protestant hands.
Terry says
My son and his young family do this. They love it and they have been there through two kids now. Samaritans has been a real blessing for them.
Lisa G. says
What a wonderful, blessed idea! I am fortunate to have insurance from my job, but I’m sending this link to my brother.
Kathy says
We are also joined a faith-based cost-sharing ministry and have found it to be a wonderful experience. We did choose Christian Healthcare Ministries, which works in a similar manner with the exception that we send our monthly gift to a central point where it is then distributed to members as needed. I was a bit nervous at first to use such a different system from standard insurance, but having just gone through sinus surgery that resulted in a non-Hodgkins lymphoma diagnosis and 4 months of chemotherapy and a lot of testing, I can also attest that everything you say about the cost-sharing ministries is true. Not only have our personal costs been less than $500 for all of these procedures, due to negotiating and sharing needs, but the comfort of having one contact person who is easy to reach, knows our needs, and holds is prayer is immeasurable. I am so glad that you are spreading the word about this type of healthcare option! It really is amazingly freeing.
Dorothy says
Thanks for the info! Looking forward to your next post!!
Kim says
I worry most about catastrophic events and subsequent ( possibly life long) medical sequelae ( needing long term care, etc). It is very easy for medical costs to exceed $250k for a single, serious medical event.
If you choose to opt into this additional coverage, is there a cap on total cost?
How would you approach this situation if you did not have the money to pay for anything that exceeds your coverage limit?
Maria says
Kim, there isn’t on paper, but there can be if there’s a month of a zillion expensive claims and the money coming in just can’t cover things. But there are also opportunities for appealing to the whole of Samaritan’s subscribers to donate a little here or there. So pregnancies are covered this way, actually, as you have to be enrolled before a pregnancy for it to qualify. Anyway, in theory, no cap, in practice, probably not, but could be a little under covered. Probably nothing time and negotiating couldn’t fix, though.
Violet says
That’s too many “probablys” for me. We’ve had a child suffer a catastrophic illness and the hospital bill came to over $400,000. I KNEW that Blue Cross/Blue Shield would cover it in full. Yes, we pay a monthly cost for insurance, just like you do. But I like knowing that BCBS covers 100% of costs, even if your bill is a $1million.
While I love having the body of Christ praying for one another, I’m not comfortable having all those people writing to us. I’m more of a private type of person. It’s certainly not wrong to do it that way… that’s great, if that’s something that you like. I’m just saying that for me, I’d prefer a more centralized system.
Heather says
Actually, Samaritan’s highest bill to date is $1.5 million, discounted down to $700,000ish, and it was all paid. All of it. The member was part of Save to Share, which is the optional program Samaritan offers to help with those bigger needs. There are millions and millions of dollars in member savings accounts to help with those. The ministry currently averages 9-10 of those per year, so even though it seems easy to reach those higher numbers, it actually doesn’t happen that often because of discounts. I’ve been a member for 2 years and we’ve been asked to send an average of $85 or so each of those years to help with those bigger needs (sometimes they want an extra 50cents, from me, sometimes $25, sometimes nothing). Yes, big bills can happen (cancer, heart issues, big accident), but the numbers you see billed through insurance are inflated. That’s not what it actually costs. Because of this, that $1.5 million was cut by over 1/2 for that big case, and it was still all paid. That frees the member to focus on healing without having to fight insurance companies. Samaritan is with us every step of the way on those discounts, they have a group dedicated to contacting hospitals to get those reductions. It’s a well oiled engine, centrally managed, pragmatic, logical, and blessedly biblical. I find it incredibly refreshing! 🙂
Maria says
There is at least one variant that is centrally controlled. And the probablys, while annoying and difficult, are around for those with coverage too. Just in a different way.
But of course if you don’t like the idea, that’s totally your prerogative. Just thought I’d put those thoughts out there. I personally don’t like the oversight implicit in government coverage and/or insurance companies. BTW, is you all plan a work-provided situation? I’ve never heard of any affordable coverage that would take care of that kind of a bill! My husband’s employer offers no coverage whatsoever and self-employed options are like $800/mo, and then a couple thousand per person before the dang copay even kicks in! Totally not happening
Emily D. says
My insurance was always through either my father’s work plan, or my own work plan, and we had huge bills covered, routinely: a two-week stay in ICU for me, which was part of a month-long hospital stay, and my transplant, which was another month long stay. We never saw a bill for either of those things, and each of them, easily, was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars/millions. Some of it does depend on your policy–I know my hospital likes some insurers better than others–but we/I have never had a problem when it comes to the big, catastrophic needs.
Katherine says
FWIW, my husband’s job offers really excellent insurance. We pay for our family coverage the same amount we’d pay for Samaritan’s. We have a $25-$30 copay per regular office visit, a $100 ER copay, and a $50 urgent care copay. DD’s pregnancy cost me a grand total of $30–the “specialist copay” for the initial OB visit to determine I was pregnant. After that, they covered every dime of the prenatal care, c-section, 4-day hospital stay for both of us, postpartum care, etc.
I grant that this is an AWESOME healthcare plan and one of the things I genuinely love about DH’s job, but it’s certainly not unheard-of. And I really like, as you say, that if anything catastrophic happens (cancer, for example), we’re entirely covered, no muss, no fuss.
Anon for this says
I felt the same way and am much more private about our health needs. We eventually signed up with Medi-Share and I pay into a central account and it is then distributed. We lost our health insurance in an Obamacare loophole but I have to say that I’ve been very pleased.
Right now we’re facing some expensive Speech Therapy (not covered) but even if we pay for a session a week out of pocket, it will still be less than what we would have paid for our health insurance, nevermind the copay.
The other thing to consider, is that there is no rule that you have to stay with a health sharing ministry forever. For this stage of life, it works great for us. If someone were to get cancer or something like that, God forbid, there’s nothing preventing us from getting traditional health insurance later.
Maria says
Oops, some* pregnancies (any pregnancy that occurs after you’re enrolled is fully covered!)
Deirdre says
Kim, we certainly don’t have the money to ensure that we can pay for things that exceed our “coverage limit!” (Like Maria said, there is no limit, strictly speaking, with Save to Share.) But we trust that, particularly being part of Save to Share, we are going to get the help we need no matter what accident or illness befalls us. From a worldly perspective, it is reasonably prudent; and furthermore we know that we are putting it in Our Lord’s hands.
It’s also worth remembering that, while tons of medical treatments can easily tally up to over $250,000 on paper, the discounts and negotiations will enter in very quickly, because what’s on paper is only tenuously connected to real life when it comes to the medical industry!
Maria says
Ooh, good call! I searched and searched for something when preparing to leave active duty, it took me a good two years to find Samaritan, and even then it was at a friend’s recommendation, not a result of my own efforts! So great idea putting it out to such a large audience! I hope it will catch on. Would be awesome.
Maria
Katherine says
I’d be interested to see how cost-sharing works past the fertility years. We paid for our homebirths out-of-pocket, based on a sliding scale with our midwife. The births that were unexpectedly in the hospital were paid for by the state (instigated by the helpful hospital staff). Now that I’m past childbearing, our heeds are different – expensive medications, expensive dental work (we’ve had one root canal, two teeth extractions and two crowns in the family this year. Thank God, no one wears braces). Eye care for nine people and glasses for eight is a killer. Since my husband is self-employed, our family has been uninsured (really uninsured) until recently. With the requirement under Obama for proof of insurance, we found that under our state exchange we qualified for state aid. It’s not great and very limited, but it does pay for ER visits, a yearly dental checkup and yearly eye exam and medications. It, of course, does not pay for chiropractic care or alternative therapies, which is mostly what we use.
What we really need is reform in the health care “industry” (and it really has become an industry instead of a service to mankind). As Pope Francis has said, greed is the main problem.
Jamie says
My in-laws use the program, much past the child bearing stage of life! Granted they aren’t people that have tons of medications, but they’ve had surgeries, therapy, etc. and seem to still like it! We use Samaritan, but yes..we use dental insurance through work which is definitely worth it for us with a big family!
Margaret says
Thank you for this! If you’re willing to share, I’d be interested to know what your actual monthly costs are, and if contributions vary according to family size or any other factors.
Victoria says
Our monthly costs average about $600/month (which includes dental and eye care, which Samaritan doesn’t share). As a young family of four, we have well-baby-visits, sick visits, vaccines (which can be $50-$150 ea.)(but some places have programs for free vaccines), etc. If we have an oddly good month with no well-baby-visits, then we pay only the share amount…I think that is $425 right now? Can’t remember…but that nice scenario only happens once or twice a year.
Buying private insurance on the exchanges would cost a LOT more for us, based in health history and income level. We estimated it would be close to an additional $6000/yr.
Victoria says
It does vary based on family size. You can read their page, but off the top of my head they have young adult rates, couple rate, parent and one child, parent and 2+ children, and senior. Again, you should check their site. II am pretty sure our family pays the maximum share amount.
Maria says
I just checked this morning, and I haven’t mixed something up since then, ha, it’s a single adult, a two-adult family, a two-adult and one or more kid family, and a widowed adult and kid(s) family. There’s a discount of like $40 if both adults are under 25. I think that’s it.
Maria says
Oops again with the typing. I meant IF* I haven’t mixed something up since then (entirely possible)
Anamaria says
We pay $405 every month plus $8 for vision and dental (insurance), then between $75-$100 some months for pediatrician visits, depending on whether it not its time for vaccines. My pediatrician always gives us an extra discount off self-pay, so sick visits are less than when we had insurance… (Well-visits were covered)
Nancy says
Thank you for writing about this topic…looking forward to the next one. I think more people will be joining these types of insurance organizations, as we experience the consequences of Obamacare, now and in the future.
Victoria says
I would want to add that the biggest draw back tonhealth shares is negotiating and explaining to everybody your situation. It isn’t a big deal at all when you see your regular provider, but if something unexpected happens that involves multiple institutions and providers, you end up spending a lot of time on the phone with everybody and their mom–not fun right after you have a baby or other stressful health event. And then Medicaid reps start calling over and over again and then come KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR despite explaining that you are part of a health share and please cease and desist. So, it isn’t all roses and rainbows. This might be something more typical of the area we live in? I don’t know. All that said, I don’t think we would go back to regular insurance even if DH got a job with benefits just because we are committed to not participating in immoral coverage.
I have also grown to like catching over-billings. I have a strong feeling that a real part of waste in our system is incorrect billing. It happens to us 30% of the time.
Jamie says
Agreed that it does take some getting used to, having to be responsible to make all those calls and contact so many offices to arrange bill payment, etc. ! Still has worked out for us personally.
Katherine says
I’m pretty sure your over-billing estimate may actually be *low*, based on my and my family’s experience. Disgusting and shameful. It also doesn’t help that some institutions will make it difficult to even discover over-billing by delaying/refusing to provide itemized bills. In what other industry is that considered even remotely acceptable?!
SophieMiriam says
To me, all these health sharing ministries have always seemed shockingly expensive. They don’t seem to cover any of the things that I use my health insurance for! When a $15/month prescription copay automatically turns into $120+/month, but Samaritan Ministries won’t do anything for that because it’s less than $300 and a pre-existing condition, it doesn’t sound so cost-effective, even leaving aside the fact that the monthly share for SM is way more than we would pay going through the state exchange (no subsidies or anything like that).
Does it bother you that people with chronic preexisting conditions are, practically speaking, excluded from this kind of program?
Jamie says
I believe that a lot of those conditions can be covered again if you’ve been symptom free for 1- 5 years depending on the condition. I think it is a safeguard for someone trying to come into the program to get something covered when they haven’t been paying into the group. Also any need can be put into the prayer guide as a special need and many people will contribute money to help even though it doesn’t technically qualify. If you are on a lot of expensive medications you would really have to tally up the costs I think before committing to something like this. My family doesn’t use much for medications so it works for us.
SophieMiriam says
Unfortunately, a lot of chronic medical conditions, including mine and my husband’s, won’t go away like that. I’m jealous of the people who don’t recognize all the local pharmacists! But this is our life. 🙂
Emily says
My husband has Type 1 diabetes, it won’t go away and without insurance would easily run us $2000 per month. I hate having to use the group policy which will cover one abortion per year (grimace) but something like this will never be any option as long as pre existing conditions are excluded.
Rachel Meyer says
I’ve only just heard about this from this blog post, but no, it doesn’t bother me. I think it’s reasonable that there can be a system designed for healthy families to help one another cover everyday costs and occasional big expenses. Not every system needs to be intended for every person and situation. Especially because there are plenty of options for chronically sick people, like the exchanges.
Victoria says
I have thought of that sometimes, and I’ve just imagined that someone with chronic health problems would buy insurance, if their job didn’t provide it. That said, I know someone who had so many health problems, and her premiums got so high, she realized it was more cost-effective to just go entirely uninsured. And she was right. It all depends on your local insurance market, income levels, personal health. I don’t think shares are for everyone. For us, though, it costs less than buying insurance on the exchange.
Mary says
I have been BEGGING my husband to switch to this for a couple years now! The money we pay for insurance each month makes me want to throw up (over $1000!!!) and we are the type who virtually never use the doctor unless needed. Our insurance company is also giving us a hard time about covering our midwife’s fees for a recent birth. It’s insane. Since DH is the boss at his office, he had to take care of some employees first but I’m really hoping to switch to this asap. Thank you for the endorsement!
Dixie says
This is really interesting to read about and I’m looking forward to learning more tomorrow! We don’t have experience with healthcare sharing, but we have been much happier in the past three years with using an HSA (Health Savings Account) rather than regular insurance. We pay SO much less than we did on our old regular plan. The maximum out-of-pocket payment is a hard and fast number, and when you hit it (only takes one childbirth to surpass it immediately!) you pay nothing for the rest of the year. Also, you’re almost never caught having to pay for something out of your regular checking or savings account — it’s all out of the HSA, to which both you and your employer contribute. I would love to see greater use of both HSA’s and options like Samaritan!
Lauren says
What about the financial penalty imposed by the government for not having insurance. How does that work?
Jamie says
http://samaritanministries.org/healthreform/ – We’re members too, just thought I would share. It’s all legal and legit! 🙂
Maria says
There is a waiver in place for these organizations! It’s great!
Deirdre says
Like I mentioned above – exempt from Obamacare! 🙂 Just a matter of a simple tax form.
Anamaria says
We switched this year and our only regret is we didn’t do it sooner (we waited as I was already pregnant when getting off my work insurance, but it would have cost us less to switch mid-pregnancy than to have the insurance we had for the birth).
Jamie says
We are members here as well. We’ve had one baby since being in the program and all went well and we received all the money we were due. I agree that it is taking on a much more active role in your health care than most people are used to as some people above were worried about. You have to keep very careful track of your bills and communicate a lot with providers, but we’re all grown ups right? We can handle it! Samaritan is there too help you if you run into a difficult provider and negotiated further discounts for our family with the hospital. It is a bit of pain to have to call all these offices when you have a new little one, but it wasn’t impossible. My in-laws are also members and have successfully used the program for operations and necessary physical therapy. It’s not for everyone, but it does work really well for a lot of people! And it is amazing to be able to get lovely cards and notes from fellow believers of all different backgrounds. My family is pretty healthy, so I know we have saved significantly.
Laura says
We use MediShare…almost identical concept, another option! Couldn’t be happier with our choice.
Elizabeth says
I am glad to hear so many people saying they have had good experiences with Samaritan. My husband and I looked in to a similar ministry several years ago. We were very put off by some of the restrictions on members’ activities, but decided to go ahead and apply since they were not really activities we participate in anyway. Then we were told that, because I had had three miscarriages since my last successful pregnancy, it was considered a pre-existing condition, and if I had another one within the first year it would not be eligible for sharing.
My health care provider had assured us that there was no medical reason for my miscarriages, and said that the odds of any pregnancy ending in miscarriage in the early weeks are quite high. So essentially what I took away from the cost-sharing ministry was that I must be certain not to become pregnant in the first year we were members. It was very discouraging at a time that was difficult anyway, and we ended up deciding not to join the ministry (for that and other reasons).
I offer this experience just as something that people may want to be aware of if they are considering joining one of these ministries. Think carefully through the activity restrictions, and be certain you know how any health issues you’ve had previously will affect the share-ability of future problems.
That said, I love the concept, and would still be interested in being part of something like this if that were practical for my family.
Deirdre says
Wow, that sounds like a huge bummer, Elizabeth! That definitely does not sound like something Samaritan would do, based on my contact…
Lauren says
Is that the reason you had a home birth? To seek the lowest cost? I only ask because the other Catholic family I know who uses Samaritan also did a homebirth with their 7th child. And a lot of the homeschooling families I know are really into homeopathic/at home remedies vs doctor visits and prescriptions (probably due to large family size?). I personally like delivering in a hospital (because I do VBACs which have a slight risk of uterine rupture) and I know the $20000 hospital stay would probably be too much to share in a month among the Samaritan members, correct?
Maria says
No, it’s not too much. It’s $250,000 in a year, unless I’m mistaken. And unlimited if you opt in for additional sharing.
Alicia says
VBACs are covered 100% even without the $300 min because it lowers medical costs overall. Same with home birth. I’m a Samaritan member who has had a VBAC fully paid.
Deirdre says
Lauren, I had always wanted to have a home birth because I knew that it would be the best choice for me from a health care perspective, but being with Samaritan and knowing that it would be lower cost made that decision all the easier!
The hospital stay you mention wouldn’t be too much for Samaritan. With so many members, the system can handle a lot of big bills! And as a cash-pay patient, you actually probably wouldn’t’ end up being charged all of that $20,000.
Anamaria says
I’m a Samaritan member and about to have a hospital birth. We’ve already the money for it (assuming everything goes well- if not, and it costs more, we will get the extra later). It’s way way less than the limit. And we are paying $0 ourselves, unlike my last birth when we had insurance and paid thousands.
My friends who are members also do home births- one reason this is more popular for members is that insurance usually won’t pay for home births while Samaritan does (and even $500 toward a doula!).
Jessica says
I’m intrigued by cost share ministries. We just had a hospital birth, natural not even an IV!, and it cost roughly $5000. This is with husbands work insurance, and not counting monthly premiums! I was surprised by how expemsive it was, especially because we asked repeatedly not to stay in hospital overnight but of course no pediatrician was available to check us out–and he was born at 8am!
Deirdre says
Wow, Jessica. Just so bonkers!
Victoria says
What everybody else said. If you were “self-pay” it wouldn’t cost $20,000. That’s the inflated insurance price. When you get on the inside of the billing process, you discover much of it is a racket; doctors don’t win, hospitals don’t win, patients don’t win: only the insurance companies.
Julia says
Just chiming in to point out that the required statement of faith (like so many others required for homeschooling groups and such) makes it impossible for Orthodox Christians to join. Disappointing.
Maria says
How?
Maria says
(I consider myself orthodox in my beliefs, I see no issue in the statement of faith, which I pasted in above)
Deirdre says
Maria, I believe she means people belonging to the Orthodox Church, not people of orthodox faith. 🙂
Maria says
Ohh. Well even so.. The beliefs are nearly identical, no? I spoke with a Byzantine priest a while back, the first time I was at one of their Divine Liturgies, and mentioned it was very similar to the Russian Orthodox liturgies I’d been too, and he said “well, I’d hope so, we’re the same faith! We’ve just chosen to come back under the Pope’s authority!” Was interesting. I hadn’t realized just how close we were til I went to go research and verify his claim..!
Marie says
Maria, “nearly” identical is where the problem lies. Protestants are not little Catholics who believe the same things we do except for a few minor points. While they are Christian by virtue of a Trinitarian baptism, their beliefs are significantly different than ours, particularly Evangelical Fundamentalists. It’s very imprudent to sign any kind of statement of faith outside the Church. At one time, the Church wouldn’t have allowed it. Frankly, I’m not sure that they do now but, unfortunately, there are many priests who don’t know any better.
Maria says
Oh. Well I was choosing my language so as not to sound know-it-all. I’ll rephrase: Orthodox and Catholic beliefs are the same. Except for regarding papal authority. So that’s what I was wondering g why it would be a problem for Orthodox if not.for Catholics.
Maria says
(I guess I reserve the right to be entirely wrong though!)
Marie says
Sorry, I responded to the wrong post of yours re Protestantism. As you know, the Orthodox are not in communion with Rome. Yes, we share most of the same doctrines, about 95%, but there are some theological differences. We were the same church for the first thousand years of Christianity. What the Orthodox poster might be referring to is that the “Statement of Faith” required by Samaritan Ministries makes a clear declaration of belief in Sola Fide (faith alone), which Catholics and Orthodox reject. We do not believe that we are saved by faith alone. The poster also might not be able to sign any kind of statement of faith outside the Orthodox Church. I might add neither should Catholics. Unknowingly, you’ve assented to at least one belief that the Church does not hold. Knowing your faith is not being “a know it all”. It is the responsibility of every Catholic.
Julia says
Yes, I mean big-O Orthodox. 🙂
I’ll try to explain my objections (some more nit-picky than others), but I’m not a theologian and I don’t want to mislead anyone, so please don’t take my word alone for any of this.
1. Referring to the Trinity as the “Triune God” sets off alarm bells. “Triune” is a word that doesn’t show up until the seventeenth century and suggests a sort of radically egalitarian theology of the godhead. That said, the word is used (erroneously) by Orthodox all the time, so I could look past that.
2. Saying that God is one God *revealed* in three persons sounds disconcertingly like Sabellianism (modalism).
3. (Nitpicky) Jesus *is* God in the flesh, not *was*.
4. (A big one) We do not believe in the theory of penal substitutionary atonement.
5. (Also big) The Orthodox understanding of original sin is substantially different from Catholic and Protestant understandings. We generally call it ancestral sin and do not believe that people are born sinful.
6. (Nitpicky? Maybe just a consequence of brevity?) To say that we “can be saved from eternal death only by trusting in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection to save us…” sounds rather like Luther’s “Sola Fide,” which is obviously not Orthodox doctrine.
TL;DR:
The main obstacles are penal substitutiary atonement and original vs. ancestral sin, but some of the other formulations are also problematic, to varying degrees.
Maria says
Hmmmm. I’ll have to look into a few of these. I looked into the Orthodox (Byzantine) theology on original sin back a while ago and, whereas I thought initially they were different, I came to realize they were the same. Perhaps I got bad information or misunderstood.. I wonder, though, how Orthodox teachings would be reconciled with Catholicism in the case of the Eastern Catholics, though, if that were the case! Maybe it’s a matter of emphasis?? This is mainly musing “out loud,” I really am curious how it works, hopefully I’m not ruffling any feathers. If so, my apologies.
Maria says
Ifff you get a chance and can take a look at this, I’d be interested to hear whether you agree. It makes a case for all of us believing the same thing re: original/ancestral sin, guilt, etc.
Maria says
Um, and the link:
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=227095
Julia says
I will certainly defer to Catholics when it comes to Catholic doctrine! As to whether there is a difference (and this probably isn’t the forum for such a discussion), I will just point out that the Orthodox Church sees no need for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, and yet we still describe the Theotokos as all-holy, most pure, without stain, etc.
I hope that helps. I’d suggest speaking to an Orthodox priest for more (and better) answers.
Maria says
BTW, this penal substitutionary atonement, which of course I had to look up, ha!, seems not Catholic as well. Actually St Thomas Aquinas taught that just a drop of Jesus’ blood would have redeemed the world. But he chose to die entirely, on the cross, at our hand, and turn that into the channel for Grace. We jusssssst had an RCIA class on this yesterday (my husband’s attending and I go for the catechesis!). I never thought I’d be discussing half of those topics this soon :]]
Anyway. I was just thinking that perhaps the statement of faith could be understood as Jesus being the redeeming sacrifice without which would could never make it over the chasm separating us from God. No?
Victoria says
As a Roman Catholic, I like to think of the statement of faith as a baseline, “well yes, I believe this AND [insert fullness of truth here]” I see your points, and I think they are well-considered; in fact, the point about whether Christ “is” in the flesh or “was” in the flesh was something I hadn’t even thought about, and now find rather troubling…that said when it comes to whether I send money to a company that may use my dollars to pay for abortions and contraceptives or give my money to other Christians who will use it to sustain lives of genuine Christian virtue, the choice becomes a little more clear.
There IS a Catholic health share that just started up under Samaritan’s umbrella: http://www.cmfcuro.com/index.php
We had been considering switching at some point when it was still on the drawing board, but I didn’t realize they were operational!
I’m not sure if that would solve the Orthodoxy questions, though, because there are some substantive theological differences between us. I didn’t look to see what their statement of faith says, but I will look some other time.
Alicia says
Can you explain further? What’s in the statement that is contrary to orthodox Christianity?
Alicia says
We are happy Samaritan Members. The biggest test came when my third child was born early and needed NICU care for 10 days. I stressed about the bills I knew would be piling up, but the Lord took care of us through Samaritan. $55,000 of bills were fully paid (I was a VBAC, so not subject to the $300 min). It took a lot of organization to keep the bills straight and pay everything accurately, but there were discounts on every single bill from the hospital for paying cash. And while in the hospital, we didn’t need to worry about contract rates, whether a certain therapy was covered for our son or if we’d be denied. Yes, the hospital wasn’t used to us being uninsured and sometimes called it a “delicate” situation, but in reality it wasn’t. They just weren’t used to it. The billing department knew what to do.
The freedom it’s given us to choose the care providers we want and not be obligated to pay for abortions or other unethical medical treatments by way of our premiums, has been a huge joy. The freedom we feel in the future to shop around for a surgeon or doctor without concern for networks gives us confidence to choose a doctor that will meet our needs.
We have become much more aware of medical costs and have taken ownership of what costs we incur. It has given us a good incentive to take care of what we can at home and be prudent about seeing the doctor, and it’s given us confidence in taking control of our health. We got to the doctor far less, and when we do go, we know it’s because we really need their help.
We pay FAR less than we would otherwise. FAR less!
Ellen says
Here’s a similar program that was started by Catholics. I don’t believe you have to sign a declaration of faith.
cmfcuro.com
I am interested in this idea, but I have to say I’m not sure I would feel totally secure. Still, I’m glad it’s working so well for so many of you.
BK says
We’ve looked into several health sharing ministries, but have been disappointed to find none of them will work for our family. Between my husband and I, we have several non-serious, non-life threatening, but chronic conditions that would be considered pre-existing conditions. They do need prescriptions and treatment from time to time – so none of that would be covered. **Sigh** It is such a shame that Christians with pre-existing conditions can’t participate. I guess the trick is to sign on to one before you develop a chronic illness. In my case, I would have had to sign up at birth. 😛
Emily says
This has nothing to do with the healthcare aspect of the post, but did your little Finnabee break her foot?! Is that a cast on her leg in the first picture? I hope she is feeling okay!
Deirdre says
Thanks, Emily! Being a spunky little girl with those amazing, youthful bones, she bounced back barely noticing the incident at all (she was used to the cast within a couple days and it didn’t hold her back one bit!). Just an unfortunate slip on the bathroom floor… that’s life!
Emily D. says
Hope she’s doing better now! 🙁 Poor kidlet!
Claire Rebecca says
Samaritan and things like it sound wonderful (and probably are for those who can join), but it just seems completely out of reach for people with pre-existing conditions. I’ll have my chronic condition for the rest of my life (barring a miracle) and because of the nature of it, technically anything and everything could be considered a result of it. My favorite part of ACA/Obamacare (not trying to start a debate) is that it mandates coverage for pre-existing conditions. It seems like these cost sharing groups completely bypass that and end up offering health insurance only for healthy people.
Emily D. says
Right, Claire, I’m in the same boat. I could never do this–I have cystic fibrosis, I had a double lung transplant, and I’m on speciality meds and see multiple specialists that go along with both. It’s ALL pre-existing, and permanent. So I’d immediately be out.
SophieMiriam says
Totally agree with you, Claire! I love knowing that when I change insurance plans or companies, my pre-existing conditions will still be covered and not bar me from having health insurance. To go slightly off topic, another one of these programs used to advertise all the time on Catholic radio with the tagline “health insurance the way Jesus would have wanted it” and I always wanted to call them and say that I’m pretty sure Jesus would cover pre-existing conditions, given His statement that it’s not the healthy but the sick who need doctors! Even if I could save money by joining one of these things (I haven’t found one yet that wouldn’t add hundreds per month out of pocket), I would be hesitant to, because I’m not comfortable telling people that they can’t join my group because of their bad luck.
Victoria says
I’ve thought this too! We participate, and it works for us; we can’t afford insurance on the exchanges, but I do feel bad for people who are left out of this. The whole point of the Good Samaritan is that he helped somebody nobody else would help!!!!
Claire Rebecca says
My hope is that someday a good Christian health-sharing network is open to people with pre-existing conditions, because frankly it sounds pretty awesome (especially the talking to real people part – I am currently having an interesting time trying to convince my insurance company to cover my Creighton classes). But until then it’s not really a feasible option for me and the “healthcare for healthy people” thing can be really frustrating/disheartening.
Tia says
What is the rationale for excluding non-Christians?
Maria says
I think risk factors? I know a few things you agree to observe are monogamy, no substance use, responsible alcohol/tobacco use, etc., that go along with a Christian lifestyle, ideally speaking.
Maria says
(I’m sure there’s far more to it that that, but those are the obvious manifestations, it would seem)
Deirdre says
You could learn more from Samaritan sources, but I’d say that the primary thought behind it is not so much to exclude others as that it follows the Biblical example to take care of each other (that is, to care for other members of the body of Christ).
(When you find out more about Samaritan, you’ll learn that they do great charitable work to others outside of the actual cost-sharing ministry.)
Ajda says
I, too, find the rhetorics around health and Christianity (speaking about the ministry, not you!) somewhat problematic. Suffering is evenly distributed between people of all worldviews and while “God answers fervent prayer” (as stated in the flyer), He does not always do it the way we’d like Him to. Sometimes people will be cured from illnesses, sometimes His answer will be of a different kind. Since health insurance should not rely on the first scenario and since both outcomes are also possible with people of different or no faith, this line strikes me as irrelevant.
And the line about “a Biblical lifestyle [being] healthier”… what sort of people are they imagining? I am a convert to the Catholic faith, so my entire family is atheist. And what I see when I think about them is people trying to lead a healthy life and sometimes failing at it – just like me. With the exception of not wanting to pay for other people’s birth control or abortions, I just don’t see how religion could be relevant here.
I think the thing that has been bugging me ever since I read your post yesterday is that the system (not you! I sincerely like you!) seems quite arrogant in its claims about Christianity and health. It’s a shame that something so universal as the need for healthcare divides society instead of uniting it in solidarity with one another. I must admit though that the entire subject of private health insurance is very foreign to me – I come from a European country with excellent universal health care, so all I know is this sort of system.
Whoa. That was one long comment 😀
Deirdre says
Hi Adja! I’m not up for addressing all of the things you mention here, but I will say that yes, it is certainly healthier/cheaper to live by a strong Christian morality! Consider the health costs of contraception, abortion, sterlizations, IUDs, STDS, excessive drinking, and sodomy! To be blunt, it is expensive to live that way!
Jennifer Ward says
Wow. I used to be interested in Samaritan Ministries as an option for our family. Since then, I had an 8 month old diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and an 18 month old diagnosed with retinoblastoma — together costing many 100’s + 100’s of thousands of dollars. I had little concern that these bills would be paid by our health insurance. I could never consider this option as a responsible choice for us now. It is too easy to quickly accrue $1,000,000. or more in health care costs – can happen unexpectantly at any time. Those kinds of costs can devastate a family, besides the impact of the actual disease or injury
Kevin says
Thanks for the info, I’ll be retiring from the school system and will be looking for a Christian healthcare alternative!
Kelsey says
Well, I’m pretty late to the party here, but just in case anyone reads this and is put off by the statement of faith of the Christian health share ministries – there is another option for people of any (or no) faith. It’s called Liberty HealthShare, and while it is run by the Mennonite church, it is open to all.
I am Catholic and personally do prefer the faith-based sharing ministries, but I greatly appreciate that there is an option out there that will work for others.
breezyhill1 says
We are Samaritan ministry members too and absolutely love them.