Some of you know that we are members of Samaritan Ministries instead of having traditional health insurance. We joined in 2010 and have only grown to love it (and the other members!) the longer we are a part.
The basic premise is that we pay a "share" every month in the form of a check that we write specifically to another member with a health care related financial need. We pay for our own health care needs as self pay, but when the need exceeds what we can manage ourselves, we have a group of 35,000+ families to share our need with. So during those months, we receive checks from folks all over sharing with us. (The ministry coordinates the sharing and sends a newsletter that tell us to whom we send our share).
- For most of our marriage one or both of us have been self-.employed. I'm not sure if you've ever looked at purchasing individual health insurance plans, but it's crazy. Even before we had kids and were young and relatively healthy, we were not able to find anything that was a good value for us. I also just HATE dealing with the insurance system. Can I go to this doctor? What about tests? Do I need to get that approved first? Perhaps I'm just lazy, but I don't think anyone likes the phone calls, the letters, and the WORK it takes to get and continue coverage.
- Insurance makes you not care about the actual cost of health care. I know some of you won't agree, but I think most people with insurance don't care that their foot surgery cost $18,000, they only care about the deductible or percentage they actually paid. This is a problem for everyone, as it allow providers to continue to inflate prices to insurance companies which will, of course, make every one's health care more expensive. We have found being self pay gets us huge discounts EVERY time. My $18,000 foot surgery? That was the price they would have billed insurance. We paid just over $3,000 and were able to share that need with the other members.
- I also think doctors/providers are willing to reduce their fees for an individual in a way that they wouldn't cut a deal to an insurance company. I mean, does anyone like insurance companies? I think even people I know with good insurance don't often sing the praises of their company. They seem to just view it as a necessary part of life. Anyway, back to my point about doctors reducing their fees for individuals....most of you know we paid only one small anesthesia bill for James entire back surgery. If we had insurance, that wouldn't have happened because they providers aren't willing to be charitable to an insurance company in the same way they are willing to be charitable to an individual.
- It provides us yet another way to trust God. It deepens our faith and gives us another way to see Him provide for each of our needs. There's no guarantee that the other members will send their share. We hope they will, as they hope we will send ours each month. And when we trust in God and one another, we see Him provide for all that we need. And in regards to insurance, can you really trust that they are going to cover what they say they will? My friend just a few weeks ago shared with me that her insurance company said they would provide speech therapy for her daughter, then changed their mind after the therapy had started and several hundred dollars of treatment had already been received. My mother in law received a bill 14 months AFTER a surgery she had for some charge her insurance company decided not to pay.
- I haven't read the Affordable Care Act in its entirety and am not in any way qualified to speak about it. I do know I think it would be silly for us to be have to pay a "shared responsibility payment" for not having health insurance for the US when we don't live in the US most of the time. Being a part of Samaritan Ministries gives us an exemption from having to participate in the ACA.
- It is truly a JOY to share with others. I'm guessing that most folks with insurance aren't joyous to write the check for their premium each month or to see their payroll deduction come out of their hard-earned pay check. For us, it is truly a JOY to get to write a check directly to someone else who has a medical need.
- It's a joy to receive from others. When we have a need being shared, each check we receive comes with a card, note, or letter from the sender. Sometimes other members go out of their way to be a blessing. We have received books, recipes, pictures colored by kids, bookmarks, and other thoughtful expressions from total strangers. Each one of those cards also represents people who are praying for our health and whatever need it is we are sharing in. Recently we had a medical need associated my miscarriage. In addition to the notes we received from those sharing in our need, we received cards from other members just to express their sympathy for our loss. Not only that, but when James called the office to request the form to share our need, the man who answered the phone asked if he could pray for us over the phone. I'm pretty sure that doesn't often happen when folks call their insurance company.
A collection of the notes/cards we received from James' kidney stone hospitalization
I think that ends my soap box for today. Now, that wasn't so bad, right? If you have questions, we really do love to share about Samaritan Ministries, so ask us anytime.
