More than 1.5 million Health Care Sharing Ministry members continue to find creative ways to keep families safe

May 16, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  At a time when families face more demands on their resources and too little time and money to meet those demands, combining the practice of telehealth and participation in a Health Care Sharing Ministry can help relieve the pressure.

Telehealth offers benefits for those who are increasingly choosing Health Care Sharing because of lower cost and greater convenience. Increasingly, young families and small business owners are interested in the virtual delivery of medical services.

“We’ve just been through one of the highest-stress medical events we’ve ever experienced with COVID-19, and people want to feel safe again which is one powerful reason people are choosing other health options,” says Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org). “Telehealth can help provide this assurance in a more accessible way. And it’s less expensive than an in-person office visit. For those making the choice of Health Care Sharing, telehealth can also be attractive for those who wish to avoid the anxiety of exposure to illness in waiting rooms and doctor’s offices.” 

Telehealth is a service that offers video calling and other technologies to help patients see their doctor or other health care provider from home instead of at a medical facility. Telehealth can also help support family caregivers who are taking care of their loved ones either close by or from a distance. If a caregiver needs to ask the doctor a question, they can do so through an online health portal rather than waiting for and traveling to an in-person appointment.

In the long list of telehealth benefits, are lower costs with virtual communications, better access for those in rural areas or urban areas where hospitals have closed in recent years and immediate access for the high-fever infant suffering at 1 a.m. Telehealth offers quick and efficient help for those with chronic conditions, easy guidance for finding the correct doctor, and often a cash-pay option. 

The option of cash-payment is attractive to members of Health Care Sharing Ministries for whom cash payments are normal. Telehealth services, whether offered through a partnership with the ministry, or whether patients choose their own telehealth provider, are eligible for sharing for members of Health Care Sharing Ministries.

“Health Care Sharing Ministries provide the tools for families to have maximum flexibility and preferred pricing, and telehealth is a wonderful way to access high-quality care,” said Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries. “Members are already thinking creatively about health care options, and telehealth is another appealing innovation. Vaccine mandates, miseducation, special needs, and other factors have swelled the ranks of families that want more choices, and now they can choose telehealth.” 

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministry organizations which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on Health Care Sharing Ministries.

Learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.  

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