Life With Christian Healthcare Sharing - The Fears, The Blessings

Since Danielle and I decided to become members of a Christian healthcare sharing organization we've gotten tons of questions from people who read our post "A Look At The Three Big Christian Healthcare Sharing Options." People want to know what it's been like, how it works, and even does it work.

So here's what our experience has been like so far.

But first, a quick recap.

Danielle and I decided we didn't want any part of the government's version of affordable healthcare. It's cost is astronomical, it's unethical, it's unnecessarily complicated, and it forces us to pay for medical procedures that we don't agree are biblical. Thanks to some provisions in the law, organizations like Christian Healthcare Ministries, Medi-Share, and Samaritan Ministries can legally provide health coverage to Christians without having to pay the penalty for not having Obamacare. It's perfectly legal. It works. And it's a monumental blessing.

Though, admittedly, it's a bit scary at first.

We took some time to look into the big three Christian healthcare sharing options—Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM), Medi-Share, and Samaritan Ministries. All three have different strengths that will satisfy the needs of their individual members, but CHM seemed to suit our needs the best.

Christian Healthcare Ministries

CHM is actually the oldest of the big three, having been around since 1984. This gave us an element of trust that this organization, having proven itself sustainable, could help us meet our medical needs. They are a nonprofit health cost sharing ministry through which Christians help other Christians with their medical expenses.

How it works is pretty simple: when you have a medical need you go to the doctor. At some point, someone at the hospital will ask you about insurance. You say, "I have insurance, but you just treat me as a self-pay patient." They nod and go, "Oh, ok. Sure. No problem." A couple weeks later you'll get a bill and a letter saying that as far as the hospital is concerned you are responsible to cover the cost. You submit that bill to CHM. CHM members submit their monthly portion and your medical needs are covered. That's it in a nutshell anyway.

We're Pregnant. Yay! ... I Mean, "Gulp!"

Back at the beginning of October Danielle told me that we were expecting. We couldn't be more excited! So far everything has gone pretty smoothly—doctor's visits, getting bills, submitting them to CHM. There's been a bit of a learning curve because we are basically in charge of our healthcare needs. There are some forms to fill out and some steps to go through, but the folks at CHM have been more than helpful every step of the way.

SOMETHING IMPORTANT Even though we decided to become members of CHM, we're not knocking Medi-Share or Samaritan Ministries. All three are great programs that have different benefits. We chose CHM based on our medical needs, which are few. We encourage people to get some literature from each sharing organization, and even call them to ask questions to find out which one is right for you.

In short, things are going well with CHM. We plan to continue using them and highly recommend them.

It can definitely stretch your nerves joining up with a healthcare sharing organization like CHM. It requires a step of faith, for sure, because the ministry relies on the support of God's people, and their support is dependent on God's provision. But His Word says that He is faithful. And He is! We've found that as we step out in faith with CHM, God rewards that faith. It's a tremendous blessing!

If you found this information to be helpful, and choose to use Christian Healthcare Ministries, would you consider signing up under us as a thank you for all our research? You can use this link to do that: Christian Healthcare Ministries. Thanks!

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A Look Inside Christian Healthcare Ministries... Sarcasm Included!

Howdy world! If you're just tuning in, the wife and I have signed up for a Christian healthcare sharing organization as an alternative to Obamacare. (Click here to read why.) It's been a complicated solution to figure out because, essentially, we have had to learn all of this insurance mumbo-jumbo ourselves.

So we signed up with Christian Healthcare Ministries a couple weeks ago (click here to read about that if you're curious) and yesterday we received our welcome package—or as I've come to call it, "The Book of Forms." The 34-page member brochure introduced us to Dr. Michael D. Jacobson, who has served as medical consultant for CHM since 1995. He's apparently the go-to guy if you've got medical questions.

To contact him, fill out the enclosed form.

We were also made aware of one member's health concerns—a man named Mark, from Ohio, who is trying to get his blood pressure under control. Members can send notes of encouragement and pray for Mark.

To send him a card, fill out the enclosed form.

One thing I forgot to sign up for when I enrolled is the Brother's Keeper program, a separate fund to safeguard members from medical bills exceeding $125,000 caused by catastrophic illness or injuries. It's a quarterly gift of $25—in addition to your monthly portion—as well as an annual $40 administration fee. I'm thinking the wife and I will sign up for this, so I guess... oh! How convenient...

...they've included a form for that, too!

There's a page explaining that if we can sucker anyone else into joining, we'll get one month of membership for free. Any takers? All you have to do is...

...fill out the enclosed form.

There's information on what to do if you need medical care—along with an enclosed form—as well as a list of forms to fill out:

• The Checklist of Understanding Form
  I understand that my participation is voluntary... I understand the guidelines... I understand the risk... I understand that this is not insurance.... Check. Check. Check. Check.


• CheckEase Direct Giving Enrollment Form
  To save me the agony of having to write a check every month, I can have my money sent to them automatically.


• Authorization for Disclosure or Use of Protected Health Information Form
  Uh-huh. Got it.

All kidding and sarcasm aside—actually, scratch that, I won't renege my sarcasm. This whole process is an annoyance. Not that I'm not grateful for ministries like CHM, or Samaritan Ministries, or MediShare, but the convoluted politics that have necessitated this lifestyle change make it a circumstance that I resent. So...

Deep calming breath. Relax. Breeeeeath.

Smiley face :-)

Honestly, CHM's Book of Forms isn't so bad. I'm just clinging to the amusement caused by all the forms as a means of easing my suffering.

The good news is that our total monthly membership fee—for both Dani and I—is less than $300. Under Obamacare, even with assistance, it would cost about that much for just ONE of us.

So, despite all my frustrations and my naturally pessimistic personality, I consider myself blessed to now be a part of a healthcare sharing ministry like CHM. I even look forward to praying for other members like Mark and encouraging them through their difficulties.

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

—Hebrews 10:25

Keep pinchin' :-)

If you found this information helpful, and choose to use Christian Healthcare Ministries, would you consider signing up under us, as a thank you for all our research? You can use this link to do that Christian Healthcare Ministries.Christian Healthcare Ministries