I use to be enrolled, have Aetna now through my husband’s job. I think Christain Health Ministries is an excellent choice. I would definitely use them again. I know they cost less than the others I checked.
Ping I am also interested in this.
Tell them you are stressed out from the election coverage, can’t sleep, haven’t had a minute of sleep in months.
I don’t use them - I’ve got a decent retiree plan - but I know folks who do use them and are happy with the results. My understanding is that they generally don’t cover pre-existing conditions, and they don’t cover abortions. I think they can ask for more if expenses spike some month, but historically, they never have had to. There may be caps.
I never did file any claim with them, but know this - and I know this is driven home repeatedly - that THESE MINISTRIES ARE NOT INSURANCE. With that in mind, know that they are NOT obligated to pay any of your claimed medical bills, either in part, or in whole. Count your contribution as a donation, not as a premium.
The groups understandably do not cover the medical consequences of an immoral life: smoking, illicit drug use, single pregnancy (unless by untimely death of husband), STD's, HIV medications, birth control or contraception, etc. And this is their reasonable right. Nor do they cover optional, unnecessary or elective procedures not critical to the life and health of the member. Cutting out all of these costs associated with the lowest-common-denominator member of the public saves massive amounts of funds to be used on other medical needs.
Up front costs need to be covered, or accounts established, before any claim is considered by the ministries, to be reimbursed upon board decision.
My level of membership was minimal, and very affordable compared to what socialist O-care wanted to charge. When I became employed again, I even contributed for a while out of benevolence, because I believed in the ministry.
Also, be aware that such ministries have been viciously attacked by the pagan left for not joining the worldly "system." The attacks are likely to increase and become more effective, especially if Trump doesn't win.
If you lose insurance that you already had for just about any reason other than you just cancelled it on your own, that's a qualifying life event.
Excellent thread you posted, and we’re looking into this as well.
Wikipedia has some details for consideration:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_sharing_ministry
http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2015/07/21/4-new-things-to-know-about-health-care-sharing-min?slreturn=1477600644
*note: MCS complaint
Very helpful details and valuable comments about people’s experiences:
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2015/12/01/review-comparison-healthcare-sharing-ministries/
*Note: more MCS complaints
Bookmark
Thanks for this timely question and everyone’s responses. So helpful! I literally just started working on this yesterday.
I belong to Medishare (mychristiancare.org). I have been a member since 2011. Joined after my BCBS started going up by double digits. It’s a very good organization. The use Private Health Care Systems Physician’s network. It is a large network and I would be surprised if your docs were not in it. The rates have increased but not nearly as high as some of my friends. Most doc offices bill them directly as do Hospitals. My daughter was in the hospital 2 years ago and they covered everything I thought they should. All ER visits and doc visits have been covered per the plan. I have had no complaints at all with them.
Check them out. They have a large reserve, and are one of the oldest.
Ping
We are with Samaritan Ministries. http://samaritanministries.org
We opted for this 3 years ago when BCBS private plan we had no longer could be sold due to Obamacare regulations kicking in. The alternative plan tripled our rates and benefits went down.
SM has been a huge blessing. We have had only one event and our out-of-pocket was $0 because we were able to get healthcare providers to reduce their rate. The rate reduced was more than the deductible and they put the rate reduced off our deductible first. It was a great surprise and gave us the extra incentive to ask for the reduction. They also have staff that assist you with negotiating these balance reductions.
We feel blessed monthly knowing we are helping our brothers and sisters out during a stressful time and also praying for these people we don’t know , but end up knowing about.
The rate went up about $60 for a few months when there were more needs submitted. When the needs passed the rate returned to the base rate.
Any other questions please ask.
Liberty Healthcare Ministries appears to be the most flexible, is available in all states, let’s you use your own docs (no network), and handles the billing.
One thing, please note that hospitals use a “chargemaster” procedure billing rate book that is often FIVE TIMES what the actual procedure should be billed at.
Some Healthcare Ministries require you to chase billing departments and pressure them for discounts.
It’s good to read this article first in order to understand one of the reasons our Healthcare system is So Screwed up.
The most revealing healthcare cost article I’ve ever read was written by Steven Brill in Time magazine who discovered the hospital’s inflated “charge master” billing scheme:
http://www.uta.edu/faculty/story/2311/Misc/2013,2,26,MedicalCostsDemandAndGreed.pdf
Here’s a sample of what a out-of-pocket payer would get hit with, versus the discount a major Healthcare insurance gets, ie: 70-80% off!
Knee arthroscopy in December 2014.
$2760.00 – MRI
$2159.61 – “Insurance Adjustment” / write off/discount to Cigna
$3475.00 – Arthroscopy, knee, surgical
$2974.26 – Insurance Adjustment to Cigna
Anesthesia, hospital, and other related costs were similarly adjusted.
More healthcare ministry review information:
http://selfpaypatient.com/2013/11/27/health-care-sharing-ministry-members-share-their-experiences/
https://pricinghealthcare.com/vendors/types/healthSharingMinistries/110
My family was on Christian Healthcare Ministries. We had the minimum plan ($135/month, year was 2010 or so) and never wound up using it. They seemed on the up and up, though. No smokers. Need okay from priest or minister.