***NEWS RELEASE***
Samaritan Ministries Members Tell How the Biblical Model Works for Them
ACA Open Enrollment Offers Opportunity to Consider the Advantages of Simple, Non-Insurance Approach to Health Care
Kristen of Indiana Says: ‘God Has a Way of Using People, Organizations and Situations to Bless You in the Most Amazing Ways!’
PEORIA, Ill.—Just about one month remains for Americans to make important health care decisions before the open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act ends on Dec. 15 in most states. And while changes may be coming for government health care in general, the mission of Samaritan Ministries International (samaritanministries.org), one of the leading health care sharing ministries in America, has remained the same for 23 years.
Perhaps the best way to learn about the effectiveness of this approach is to listen to current health care sharing members. For example, Kristen from Indiana shared her experience on the Samaritan Facebook page because “my heart is so full.”
“We switched to Samaritan Ministries in lieu of insurance a few months ago, and I’ll admit we were scared and confused and nervous,” Kristen said. “Since then, we’ve been blessed to send our monthly share to a family of a 2-year-old boy with a brain tumor. We’ve been able to write and pray for him and his family, which has been a blessing in itself. We didn’t think we’d be on the receiving end for quite some time, but just 2½ months in, we had to submit our first ‘need.’”
Kristen added that Samaritan staff “answered my phone call with a REAL person within a few rings. He assured me I could go ANYWHERE I wanted—no networks!” Kristen was told not to worry about finances and to focus on caring for her son’s broken foot.
“As I cried on the phone, he lifted (my son), me and the rest of the family up in prayer,” she said. “Not just a five-second prayer—(but a) prayer that probably went off for a full five minutes! This, of course, had me bawling even more! By the time I got home, he had already emailed me asking if everything was OK and I received a follow-up call and another prayer. I haven’t been through the entire need process yet, but I feel confident that it will go smoothly and I just need to ‘let go and give it to God.’ God has a way of using people, organizations and situations to bless you in the most amazing ways!”
Each month, more than 70,000 member households like Kristen’s—231,000-plus individuals—send monthly financial shares directly to other families, along with notes and cards of encouragement and prayers. In this way, Samaritan members share $25 million in medical needs each month through a viable, affordable and God-honoring ministry for Christian families.
Rusty from Arizona and his wife own a home medical supply company and found that Medicare was covering less and less.
“While we’ve only had to apply for one ‘need’ through Samaritan Ministries, my surgery was covered 100 percent, not to mention, my shares are going to other families in need and not a huge insurance company. When you start receiving get well cards and notes from people you have never met, the entire process has a whole new meaning. Love it.”
Alyssa from Minnesota appreciates the way she is a part of a larger Biblical community.
“Samaritan Ministries has helped me feel more connected to the Body, as I have been able to see and address needs of members throughout the country,” Alyssa said. “The monthly shares and prayer requests have helped grow my relationship with Christ as it prompts me to pray for my fellow believers’ joys and trials.”
Ryan and Amy from Texas called Samaritan Ministries a “Godsend.”
“It’s so empowering to take our health care back into our hands and out of the system, while at the same time having the peace of mind that we will be taken care of should something happen,” they said. “Thank you!”
Donna from Nebraska said both receiving and reciprocating through Samaritan are blessings.
“What a privilege and blessing it is to, time-after-time, have our medical bills shared by God’s family,” she said. “It feels so satisfying to do the ‘right’ thing rather than using insurance, which has created so much overpricing of procedures. We love sharing the successful story of being partnered with Samaritan members!”
Samaritan Ministries has introduced a new membership level called Samaritan Basic, which offers a lower monthly share amount coupled with a higher initial unshared amount, giving both current and potential members another way to make the best health care sharing choice for their families—and their budgets.
Monthly shares for Samaritan Basic are determined by age and household size and start as low as $100 for one person, $200 for two people and $250 for a family of any size. Some guidelines differ between Samaritan Basic and Samaritan Classic; contact Samaritan Ministries for details or visit this link.
All members, however, regardless of their membership level, will be a part of the same Biblical community that will “bear one another’s burdens” as the Bible instructs in Galatians 6:2. All members will still receive shares directly from other members, along with notes of encouragement and prayers.
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries International here; visit the Samaritan website at www.samaritanministries.org, or follow the ministry on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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