I am considering leaving the company I work for now and working with a good friend who I used to work with years ago before he went out on his own. The only reason I haven't done this sooner was that until now he was still building his business and wouldn't have been able to provide money towards health insurance. Now his company is much more stable and we are trying to determine what healthcare cost would be for my family. Anyway while researching costs I kept hearing ads on the radio about one particular group called Christian Healthcare Ministry and started looking into it. There are three big ministries with Samaritan and MediShare being the other two. EVERYTHING I have read about these groups has been positive, I even searched specifically for negative reviews and haven't found any. So do any of you. On here have any experience with one of the organizations, and if so what are your thoughts?
not exactly, but I heard their plans do not meet ACA "standards." If that is the case, you need to figure in the added tax penalty on top of the insurance premiums. If that is the case, it may be that the overall cost would still be lower than private or exchange-based plans, but just something to think of.
Just so you know, by God's grace, there is language in the ACA that exempts members of health care sharing ministries from the penalty/tax. I've been a member of Samaritan Ministries International for over 2 years and loved the ministry so much I began working for them earlier this year. A few months ago I had a cancerous tumor and a third of my lung removed, and through the ministry of SMI my brothers and sisters in Christ not only bore my financial burden but my spiritual burden as well. We had over $100,000 in medical bills and received monthly shares from over 200 members who were assigned to my medical need by SMI. Along with their monthly shares, I received notes, cards, prayers, scripture verses, and personal testimonies that went a long way in getting my wife and me through that difficult time. I hope this info helps and here's the link to SMI: Samaritan Ministries International - Samaritan Ministries International . I pray that God will bless you as you research your options.
Until my wife's job (teacher) came out with a better package we were both going to go on this because being in the private sector having to seek own healthcare. They are exempt and I love the concept of how they work. I have quite a few friends who use Christian Healthcare Ministries and just an fyi for any considering.....they do make sure you are a usual attender to your church and you are supposed to not smoke and use of alcohol should be biblical.
I'm sorry it took me so long to reply, but I missed your comment on Friday. Our ministry is dedicated to informing and educating people about health care sharing ministries in general and Samaritan Ministries International in particular. As such, we always try to be a part of conversations - wherever they are happening - relating to health care sharing ministries in order to clear up any misconceptions and answer any questions that people may have. Health care is a big part of people's lives, and many are making the very same decisions that you expressed at the outset of the thread. Since health care sharing ministries are NOT health insurance, we find that the main road block for most people is simply an unfamiliarity with how it all works. An online presence is key to getting past this roadblock.
Sounds like a "healthcare fund pyramid scheme" to me. Praise Jesus. By God's grace people's healthcare choices will be made by a panel of men with money who may or may not allocate it to that parishoner's care. And questionable "medicines" like penecillan will be cast aside in favor of much more beneficial medicines such as prayer. And that prayer will be paid for by 200 other members.... Oddly they dont advertise those kinds of things on broadcast stations I watch.
Uncljohn, that is simply not the case. SMI has been sharing medical needs for over 20 years. We are the largest health care sharing ministry in the nation with over 35,000 member households and over 117,000 individual members. Our members share directly with each other month to month, making your concern about pyramid schemes unfounded. We are actually federally recognized in the Affordable Care Act as a health care sharing ministry, and our members are exempt from the individual mandate’s penalty/tax. As far as your concern that we would cast aside treatments such as penicillin, let me offer you my personal story. Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor on my lung. It was causing me to cough up blood and required immediate resection. I had thoracic surgery on January 27th of this year, wherein the tumor and a third of my right lung was removed. My wife and I collected all the bills (over $100,000) from the hospital, pulmonologist, anesthesiologist, surgeon, pathologist, and radiologists and submitted them to SMI. SMI then assigned other members to my need, and I began to receive not only the monthly share amounts from those assigned to my need, but also hundreds of cards, notes, testimonials, prayers, and Bible verses. I was comforted with the knowledge that hundreds of families across the country were praying for me and my family. The surgery was successful, and our financial burden was completely lifted by our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I encourage you to go to Samaritan Ministries International - Samaritan Ministries International to learn more.
From the IRS website: Individual Shared Responsibility Provision - Exemptions "Members of a health care sharing ministry - You are a member of a health care sharing ministry, which is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) whose members share a common set of ethical or religious beliefs and have shared medical expenses in accordance with those beliefs continuously since at least December 31, 1999."
All of this just seems sketchy as hell... ...even sketchier than this Cody guy just happening upon this post to pimp his company.
I'm surprised you haven't heard of these before. They're a heck of a lot less sketchy than Obamacare. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Uh, yep, new member, just joined, with pre-written paragraphs extolling the virtues of the Religious Pyramid Scheme encouraging ME to follow in the steps of his fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Haha. So if Blue Cross and Blue Shield were to send notes of encouragement, cards, testimonials (why would you need your healthcare funding provider to send testimonials I'll never know), and even prayers, then Blue Cross would be exactly the same. Except I wouldn't know that the $ I'm paying is actually going to Billy Bob Jones' penile reconstruction surgery. Thank goodness you have people across the country praying for your penile reconstruction surgery. If I didn't know any better, I'd guess that Cody just trolls Google every day for anyone mentioning this Christmas Healthcare System and then like a helpful little troll, I mean angel, he joins said message board and graces all with his infinite wisdom.
First off even though he may have only signed on to comment on this thread he at least added helpfull info to the question I asked. Unlike some others here who really do troll these boards and NEVER have a positive thing to say. If these ministries don't fit your life that's fine but making ridiculous comments about pyramid schemes is not helpful.
I agree exactly. Was just about to ask you to tell us what you do and why because this has really sparked a interest. Good luck man. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
