An insurance alternative to believe in. Christians rely on each other to pay medical.

[Phylogeny]

These types of ministries seem awfully small to pay off expensive medical bills. It worries me if one of these people develops a chronic, debilitating illness. People who find it objectionable to get medical insurance are typically healthy and have a "I NEVER get sick" attitude. They have no idea how expensive treatments, followup care and medications can be, esp for the very sick.

The other thing I don't like about these small 'noninsurance insurance policies' is that they probably cherry pick the healthier populations. Unfortunately, that leaves the sickest for our "socialist" programs like medicare and medicaid...aka the taxpayer to foot the bill of people who become sick thinking they were insured with these ministries.

 

[GodbetheGlory]

I think the concept is a great idea.
People helping people.
Plus it’s a charity so your donation is a tax write off. While most health insurance payments aren’t.
Also, health insurance companies have too much fine print so don’t always get covered like you should. And the insurance companies dictate what treatments you get based on cost.
If most people adopted a system like this we’d see health care cost come way down.

 

[GodbetheGlory]

Yes and no. You are right that Humana will try to find ways to refuse any payout that they can but the difference is that there is a contract which regulates what they are allowed to refuse, as well as appeals being available (though ultimately it may involve the court system).
By contrast, without any contract or regulations binding these "ministries", there is no appeals process, not even through the courts, available to people who are denied.

How many times has this ministry not covered someone?

How many times have health insurance companies not covered someone?

Anyone know??

 

[wpiman2]

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Ramirez: Meet the Uninsured

 

[Maren]

How many times has this ministry not covered someone?

How many times have health insurance companies not covered someone?

Anyone know??

No idea, though I doubt that you could actually get the numbers from these "ministries". They require you to be Christian (even checking with your pastor) and they won't cover things like STDs (or not if you got it from sex with a woman not your wife, and I assume they would require you to prove you got it in some other way) or other diseases that would typically come from sinful behavior. So I'm sure they have denied claims when they decide a person isn't Christian or assume sinful behavior.

But not being an insurance company they have no requirement to report how many claims they receive and how many are paid or refused.

 

[GodbetheGlory]

No idea, though I doubt that you could actually get the numbers from these "ministries". They require you to be Christian (even checking with your pastor) and they won't cover things like STDs (or not if you got it from sex with a woman not your wife, and I assume they would require you to prove you got it in some other way) or other diseases that would typically come from sinful behavior. So I'm sure they have denied claims when they decide a person isn't Christian or assume sinful behavior.
But not being an insurance company they have no requirement to report how many claims they receive and how many are paid or refused.

I'm talking more about the big things; surgery, life support, ER, etc.
Anyone with this ministry have to bankrupt because they didnt cover their bills like people with health insurance sometimes have to?

 

[JustOneWay]

I wonder if I started an insurance alternative which only accepts one into the plan if one denounces Jesus, would Christians object?

 

[JustOneWay]

I attest that the participating ADULT members including herein are Christians living by Biblical principles, attend group worship regularly (health permitting) follow scriptural leadership with regard to alcohol, and do not use tobacco or use drugs illegally.

By joining this Christian insurance program, will they drop my wife if she becomes pregnant by the mailman? What if I become addicted to meth, will I be denied coverage? What if I stop going to Church or Bible study?

 

[LyraJean]

Sorry if I pay into something I expect to get covered. My taxes already go toward government plans such as food stamps, medicare, and medicaid which I'm not eligible for. I don't need to send my hard earned money to some place that isn't even going to guarantee to pay my medical bills when the time comes. I can save my own money.

 

[Saving Hawaii]

Even ol' Rush Limbaugh gave this one the double take the other day:

RUSH: Well, this is magic. You know what this reminds me of? This reminds me of these -- and I've always thought they were scams. I'm not saying this is.

CALLER: Well, this is a Christian organization, so I don't think it is.

RUSH: Well, I --

CALLER: It's being promoted by a very trustworthy Christian organization.

RUSH: Look, I once got ripped off a thousand dollars by an auto mechanic that had a plastic Jesus on the cash register.

What is Health Care Sharing?
​

 

[moonkitty]

Even ol' Rush Limbaugh gave this one the double take the other day:

RUSH: Well, this is magic. You know what this reminds me of? This reminds me of these -- and I've always thought they were scams. I'm not saying this is.

CALLER: Well, this is a Christian organization, so I don't think it is.

RUSH: Well, I --

CALLER: It's being promoted by a very trustworthy Christian organization.

RUSH: Look, I once got ripped off a thousand dollars by an auto mechanic that had a plastic Jesus on the cash register.

What is Health Care Sharing?
​

That is too funny. I may have to remember that line.

 

[LyraJean]

My first thought that is that it smells like a scam. That's the number one reason why I wouldn't send my money to these people. I really don't care what they call themselves. There is such a thing as common sense and looking after your own interests without being labeled a cold-hearted, selfish person who doesn't care about anyone else.

 

[lawtonfogle]

Sorry if I pay into something I expect to get covered. My taxes already go toward government plans such as food stamps, medicare, and medicaid which I'm not eligible for. I don't need to send my hard earned money to some place that isn't even going to guarantee to pay my medical bills when the time comes. I can save my own money.

But as to the food stamps, it is there if you ever need it, and I think currently, the majority of people will spend some small time, at least, in need of some form of welfare during the course of their lives.

For this, the same does not seem to be true (not to mention lack of grantee).

 

[Maren]

I'm talking more about the big things; surgery, life support, ER, etc.
Anyone with this ministry have to bankrupt because they didnt cover their bills like people with health insurance sometimes have to?

No idea -- if you can find that information then great. It looks like they do have maximum amounts that they will pay based on the level you sign up for. One "testimonial" mentions having a $125,000 cap on their bills at the Gold (highest) level but this is information you apparently have to write in and ask them for. I can't find it anyone has had to declare bankruptcy, that isn't something most people want to advertise and, again, the ministries have no requirement to provide information on what they deny since they aren't insurance.

 

[LyraJean]

But as to the food stamps, it is there if you ever need it, and I think currently, the majority of people will spend some small time, at least, in need of some form of welfare during the course of their lives.

For this, the same does not seem to be true (not to mention lack of grantee).

I applied and was denied.

I had a friend apply for medicaid while she was unemployed and she was denied because she was single, white, and childless.

So no just because you pay into it doesn't mean you get to use it.

 

[wpiman2]

I applied and was denied.

I had a friend apply for medicare while she was unemployed and she was denied because she was single, white, and childless.

So no just because you pay into it doesn't mean you get to use it.

Medicare is for old people. She should have applied for Medicaid. It is available for the poor.

 

[Maren]

I applied and was denied.

I had a friend apply for medicare while she was unemployed and she was denied because she was single, white, and childless.

So no just because you pay into it doesn't mean you get to use it.

True. Though I will say that some of this comes from groups that are so upset about giving people a safety net, not to mention being scared that a few might abuse these programs, that they have literally removed the safety net for the people it was originally meant to help.

It is also strange to me about how many people talk about welfare as if it hasn't changed -- that people are just on it for life. It's been 14 years since a 5-year cap was put on welfare, not to mention that many states now require a job search before can be placed on welfare.

 

[LyraJean]

Medicare is for old people. She should have applied for Medicaid. It is available for the poor.

Yeah that's the one she applied for. I get them mixed up. She was denied still. She wasn't poor enough apparently even though she had been unemployed for a month. Yes, she did get unemployment.

 

[LyraJean]

True. Though I will say that some of this comes from groups that are so upset about giving people a safety net, not to mention being scared that a few might abuse these programs, that they have literally removed the safety net for the people it was originally meant to help.

It is also strange to me about how many people talk about welfare as if it hasn't changed -- that people are just on it for life. It's been 14 years since a 5-year cap was put on welfare, not to mention that many states now require a job search before can be placed on welfare.

I was newly married, recently unemployed, ineligible for unemployment. My husband had a job and that is why we were ineligible. I have a job now but it was a while we were eating one meal a day.

 

[wpiman2]

Yeah that's the one she applied for. I get them mixed up. She was denied still. She wasn't poor enough apparently even though she had been unemployed for a month. Yes, she did get unemployment.

She should have received Cobra then.