December 15, 2025
As health care costs soar, Samaritan Ministries is an affordable, dependable option for Christian families
‘Samaritan offers a variety of ways that individuals and families can pay for health care expenses outside the health insurance system’
PEORIA, Ill. — Health insurance family plan annual premiums have increased to just under $27,000, a 6% increase from 2024, according to a recent KFF survey.
These increases come after two straight years of 7% increases, according to the Wall Street Journal. Working-age Americans who get health insurance through their jobs will see the largest health cost increases next year since 2010, according to Mercer, a benefits consultant.
“It’s no secret that health care costs are going up faster than inflation and affecting individuals, families and businesses,” said Anthony Hopp, chief purpose officer for Samaritan Ministries International (SMI, samaritanministries.org).
“Health care sharing is not health insurance. It is a cooperative, self-funding system that saves money, provides more options and allows Christians to help each other to meet medical costs while avoiding paying for abortion and other immoral practices that most health insurance companies subsidize.”
In addition to the health insurance price increases, Congress may extend Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire on Dec. 31. If that happens, more employees will lose healthcare coverage provided by small to medium-sized employers, who will forgo providing the benefit.
“Obamacare punishes workers who earn their health benefits at work,” an article in The Federalist explains.
“By tying the subsidy to the absence of an employer-based health insurance plan, the government discourages people from working for employers who offer health coverage. Even worse, there is some evidence that people in their 60s are quitting work younger to get heavily subsidized Obamacare coverage while they wait for Medicare.
“Small employers have steadily dropped coverage since Obamacare launched. In 2010, 92 percent of firms with 25 to 49 employees offered health coverage. By 2020, only 70 percent did, and by 2025 only 64 percent did. Large employers are discouraged from dropping coverage because Obamacare levies a large tax (called the employer mandate penalty) if they do not offer coverage.”
“Samaritan members don’t need to worry about what the government will do next. We offer a variety of ways that individuals and families can pay for health care expenses outside the health insurance system,” Hopp said.
“Samaritan is a faith-based, affordable option that saves members money because SMI doesn’t profit as insurance companies do. SMI’s direct sharing model is fundamentally different from health insurance, allowing members to share each other’s needs and leave the worry of rising insurance costs behind.”
Since its founding in 1994, Samaritan Ministries International has helped tens of thousands of families and individuals enjoy health care freedom by allowing them to choose medical providers and treatments at reasonable cost and without network restrictions while following a biblical pattern of caring for one another’s medical needs.
Accredited by the Healthcare Sharing Accreditation Board, Samaritanhas an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau,and serves more than 250,000 members across almost 80,000 households.
Samaritan Ministries is not health insurance. Government exchange-based health insurance requires signups to occur only during open enrollment periods unless one qualifies for a special enrollment period due to a “life event” such as losing coverage, getting married, moving, or having a baby. In contrast, individuals can sign up with Samaritan Ministries at any time.
Samaritan Ministries members are exempt from insurance coverage mandates and penalties in those states that have them (i.e., California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.).
Samaritan Ministries health care sharing offers many advantages, including:
- No network restrictions. Samaritan members have the freedom of choice for their health care provider, hospital, and pharmacy that works best for them.
- The unique direct-sharing approach does more than just help members financially; it also encourages a biblical community based on prayer. Due to member efforts, monthly shares are hundreds of dollars less per month than health insurance premiums.
To understand how health care sharing is not insurance, and to understand the differences from insurance, prospective members are required to review Samaritan Ministries’ guidelines before joining Samaritan.
To learn more about Samaritan Ministries International, visit the Samaritanwebsite at www.samaritanministries.org, or follow the ministry on Facebook, Instagram or X.
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To interview a representative from Samaritan Ministries International, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
