Anyone have a Christian Medshare policy?

[ruffdog]

I lived near a small town almost dominated by a Bible School which brought in students/camps/seminars from far and near. Anecdotally, some of the shadiest business men in town claimed to be religious and wore it on their sleeves. I think they found that appealing to their clients' religious views built unwarranted trust from their clients. Personally, I think if you are truly religious, people know that from your walk, not your talk. So I interpreted this comment as calling out opportunists rather than criticizing religion.

I agree.

 

[BravoXray]

So I interpreted this comment as calling out opportunists rather than criticizing religion.

Mostly the former, but the latter is far from immune to honest criticism.

 

[WM75Guy]

From what I have seen it works like a high deductible medical insurance, although it is not insurance. The organization probably has a re-insurance policy, they pay up to a maximum and then re-insurance kicks in. Our city was self-insured, the re-insurance limits were $10,000 per claim, $1,000,000 aggregate. Your "monthly share", not a set policy premium, pays the deductibles. I know a few folks that have it, for the most part they were happy with it. They had it more for catastrophic coverage and paid the routine stuff out of pocket.

 

[bindian]

No personal experience, I've just heard anecdotal stories about how they work. It sounds basically like a collective of people that agree to share each others medical expenses. The one I specifically heard of only covers bigger ticket items, not the small stuff. The members go and get treatment as if they are not insured, and agree to pay the hospital/providers. If there is a need like an accident, cancer, heat attack, childbirth, etc. that's above a certain amount, it gets submitted to the collective for payment. Each month the collective divides the total amount due by the number of members to determine each member's cost for the month. The monthly cost varies depending on collective need. The collective then pays the portion of the bills it covers directly to the affected family, and the family then pays their providers.

If the collective has a large number of participants that live healthy lifestyles it could be a beneficial arrangement. If the collective grows smaller or becomes populated by a large number of residents located around a future superfund site it could become a financially catastrophic agreement. There are time commitments involved to safeguard against opting in to get bills paid and then opting out.

Medical insurance for my family cost about 1/2 of what the O.P. is paying to still have significant out-of-pocket deductibles, copays, and co-insurance for care. But, it does at least offer a published cap on our annual out-of-pocket medical cost. Anything over the annual cap the insurer covers 100%. I don't think a medshare can promise me an annual maximum in medical expenses for my family.

Medishare (medishare.com) does not work that way. When I retired 8 years early, I needed to cover my insurance for 3 years, until Medicare. I went with Medishare and paid $199 a month for basically major medical. I had to pay a $99 a month surcharge for taking blood pressure medicine, so I paid $301 a month with a $12,000 deductible. Now I have Medishare 65+ and pay $99 amonth until I hit 70 or 75, then it goes up to $149 a month. Medishare 65+ pays everything Medicare doesn't with no deductible.
So the monthly price does not vary according to what is paid out.

It ain't for everybody and has worked great for me.

 

[milkman636]

Medishare (medishare.com) does not work that way. When I retired 8 years early, I needed to cover my insurance for 3 years, until Medicare. I went with Medishare and paid $199 a month for basically major medical. I had to pay a $99 a month surcharge for taking blood pressure medicine, so I paid $301 a month with a $12,000 deductible. Now I have Medishare 65+ and pay $99 amonth until I hit 70 or 75, then it goes up to $149 a month. Medishare 65+ pays everything Medicare doesn't with no deductible.
So the monthly price does not vary according to what is paid out.

It ain't for everybody and has worked great for me.

That’s good to hear that it has worked for you. What I I relayed was not specifically mediahare.com. I have not personally researched this and did not even know that was a website.

My limited understanding comes from some longtime friends of my wife. The husband is a 1099 type guy that travels to build retail stores. They are devout Christian, wholistic, and home school their children. We discussed it over dinner a few months ago after their son broke an arm, and I don’t recall the name of the group they participate with.

I imagine there can be quite a bit of variability in how these groups work, especially if some have salespeople traveling around by plane. I think our friends’ group worked more on a referral basis.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Medishare (medishare.com) does not work that way. When I retired 8 years early, I needed to cover my insurance for 3 years, until Medicare. I went with Medishare and paid $199 a month for basically major medical. I had to pay a $99 a month surcharge for taking blood pressure medicine, so I paid $301 a month with a $12,000 deductible. Now I have Medishare 65+ and pay $99 amonth until I hit 70 or 75, then it goes up to $149 a month. Medishare 65+ pays everything Medicare doesn't with no deductible.
So the monthly price does not vary according to what is paid out.

It ain't for everybody and has worked great for me.

Interesting. Do you get an insurance card like “regular” insurance?

How does your doctor and hospitals react to it? Any difference?

Any issues with getting tests or procedures approved or pre-approved?

Thanks.

 

[tractortroof]

We have used Samaritan ministries for over 15 years. (Family of 12). It has been stellar imo. $787 per month.

They have paid 100% of every claim. Sometimes they only pay 80% but that has never happened to us.

They cover every birth 100%, yep you counted right, we have a child every other year.

One year a child went to the burn unit for two weeks, er visit, ambulance to burn hospital two hours away…surgery…$50k, all paid

Wife had varicose vein surgery, must have been $50k…all paid.

Broken bones, er visits, all paid

You do the paperwork and submit your own prayer need, various members send the checks, one check per year goes to administrative costs, but all others go directly to the need.

It can be a pain doing all the paperwork.

They do this ministry by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not for everyone.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Some insurance is for profit. Some is for people. What most people have, is for profit, and they have been fooled into thinking that is best, clearly.

 

[bindian]

Interesting. Do you get an insurance card like “regular” insurance?

How does your doctor and hospitals react to it? Any difference?

Any issues with getting tests or procedures approved or pre-approved?

Thanks.

All my doctors have heard of it and was taking it when I got it. Yes, you get a plastic card with your id number and phone numbers.
I have had some xrays and a diagnostic mammogram and had no problems, before getting medicare. They paid right fast. They request up to 3 years doctor records on any new claims.

 

[Creamer]

Some insurance is for profit. Some is for people. What most people have, is for profit, and they have been fooled into thinking that is best, clearly.

I find this post interesting as most hospitals now are allegedly non-profit but they are just as expensive as most for profit hospitals - does that mean they are less efficient or just ways to cover their income with expenses such as fat bonuses for the execs?