This is my experience with Samaritan’s Ministries, a Biblical non-insurance approach to health care needs

• In 2013 we decided to have my wife step away from permanent employment and only work on a PRN basis, (i.e. as needed.)  This meant our family no longer qualified for health insurance.
• We sought out private policies that were similar, with much headache and no success.  Everything was twice the cost, or not worth even having.
• I had heard about Christian Medical Bill Sharing services before, but now I had a reason to look into them.  I chose Samaritan’s Ministries.**
• Want to read the official info?  Go to their website here.  Even better to call them.  I did, and I had lots of questions. 

• For $405 a month my family of 3 joined Samaritan’s Minstries in January of 2014.
• For 2014 we never had a need to submit.  Any needs that total under $300 are not shared with the membership.  We paid the few of those we had out of our own pocket.
• In 2015 I needed an MRI on my back.  I thought, “Here we go, we’ll find out if this is worth it or not.”
• I called to confirm my lower back pain was “covered.”  It was.  No other tests required.  Not second opinion.  No forms.  The person on the phone prayed with me and sent me the forms to fill out.
• I went to the doctors I wanted to.  I received all my bills.  I simply requested the best self pay (no insurance) discount I could get.  I turned the bills and forms in.
• This included the doctor visits.  The chiropractor visits.  The hospital MRI.  The physician fee for reading the MRI. The steroid Rx.
• My out of pocket expense was $0.  Yup, you read that right, zero dollars.  No co-pay.  Because the self-pay “adjustments”the health care providers offer as a discount to their “full charges” totaled morethan the $300, my out of pocket expense was $0.

• After mailing in the bills and forms, about 45 days later, I started getting, “checks in the mail,” literally.

• And handwritten notes with prayer on them!  Literally.

• This is not insurance.  Read over all the info carefully.  Call them and ask any and every questions you have.  (I did.)  Not everything is covered.  Neither is it with a typical insurance policy. 
• Samaritan’s Ministries meets all the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (i.e. ObamaCare).  Click here for more info.
• I like the fact that I am only sharing medical expenses with people who must meet Samaritan Ministries rather stringent qualifications of living a Biblical Christian Faith.  (i.e. non smoker, non drinker, church attender, etc.)
• You pay your own medical bills.  Other members send you reimbursements of those expenses.  It can take 60-90 days. 

• I am pleased with my decision and in all my dealings with Samaritan’s Ministries.
• I found them to be very personal, friendly, and knowledgeable.  I have yet to come across anyone I could even come close to describing as “pushy” or “uncaring.”
• If you think this might be something you would be interested in, and you would like to ask me some questions, feel free to call me if you know my number, or email me at marklehman@gmail.com.

• * If you join Samaritan’s Ministries, and if you list me as the referring member, I will receive one time discount on my next month’s membership fee.  I hope you will list me.  But, if this bothers you, simply don’t list me as the referring member.
• ** Crazy enough, it was the insurance agent that I was dealing with who told me about it, as he was a member, as he could not qualify due to health reasons for the insurance he was selling!