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The Keeler Family Update: Seven Years of Medi-Share Membership

12/31/2021

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In honor of our family approaching seven years as faithful Medi-Share members, here are my current top Seven favorite aspects of membership. 

Savings: As we talk about in the main Medi-Share review and price comparison pages, most will save over 60% compared to traditional health insurance. And that’s just on a cost basis not factoring in the perks discussed below. If you’re self-employed or otherwise need to provide for your own healthcare, savings of thousands of dollars per year can be invaluable for you and your family.

Customer Support: There is no better health insurance-related customer support. It’s that simple. Many issues can be quickly resolved over chat or email. Phone support requires almost no waiting and you quickly speak with an empowered Christian customer care agent who genuinely cares about you and your family. If you don't believe me, try calling! 


Medi-Share Customer Service and Support Information
Physicals, Covid Testing, and Mental Health: The Medi-Share offering evolves with time based on member feedback and voting. Recent changes have included one annual physical per year being eligible for sharing, as well as Covid tests and Coronavirus treatment. You can also get 30-minute Christian counseling sessions as needed.

Free Telehealth: See a doctor almost instantly for an online consultation. Perhaps most importantly, they can prescribe. So if you need antibiotics for a child in the middle of the night, for example, you can just make an online appointment and easily get the prescription (assuming the doctor agrees that’s the right treatment option, of course).



Telehealth Medical Visits

Careington Dental and Vision
: I’ve had more and more appreciation for this perk recently. While most dental and vision-related expenses aren’t eligible for sharing, you automatically become enrolled in the Careington discount program. These are significant discounts at a tremendous number of dentists, periodontists, eye exams, frames, etc. I have personally saved over three thousand dollars worth of dentist bills from Careington discounts.


Everything Online: While there are plenty of paper options available for those who prefer the old-fashioned way, you can now do almost anything online as a member. This includes: Seeing new bills as soon as Medi-Share receives them; automatic share payments; virtual copies of your membership card; customer support chat; finding providers; and much more. Do it on your computer or through the phone app quickly and easily.

Online Members Portal Bills Processed
Personal Choice: I want to say one more thing that I appreciate about Medi-Share: They respect the intelligence of their members. I don't know about you, but I value having the decision-making power for my own body. Tell me the facts, and let me decide what to do. Too much of what we hear from the government and media is simply fear-mongering.

This is why I appreciated Medi-Share's stance on the vaccine so much. Quoted directly from a letter written by Medi-Share's medical director, Dr. Alesia Greene, and posted right on the site:


"Remember, whether or not you choose to receive the vaccine is a personal choice, and one only you can make. What a privilege that we can take our cares and concerns before the Lord in prayer and ask for His wisdom and guidance in all things.

"'Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.' 3 John 2"


How well said. 

Our six years so far have been a true blessing, saving our family a large amount of money each year while providing excellent service and faithfully sharing our medical expenses. If you’re thinking of joining or have any questions, please feel free to post here or get in touch over email anytime and we would be happy to help!
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Inside the Medi-Share Online Member's Center

3/1/2018

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What's it like once you join Medi-Share? There are many customer service options for speaking directly with representatives over phone or email. With that said, most of what you'll want to do on a day-to-day basis is done either automatically or through their member's portal.

The easiest way to make your monthly payment, for example, is to have it automatically debited from your bank account. Here's the most recent payment for our family:

Monthly Payment Amount

​$177 per month is all that we pay for our family of three, and we have it set to be paid each month from our Bank of America account. 

When you go to Medi-Share logged in as a member, here are the options you see in the Member Center:
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Online Member's Center

​See a Doctor Now: Free 24/7 Online Doctor Appointments as discussed here.

Find a Provider: Search easily for an in-network doctor or specialist near you as discussed more here.

EFT/Auto Payments: Setting up the automatic payments we talked about earlier in this blog entry.

Forms: For example, if you'd like to change your AHP (deductible) at any time there is an online form for this.

Guidelines: If you're unsure about whether a particular type of medical expense will be eligible for sharing, find out right away in the guidelines section.

ID Cards: You can print out extra copies of your main Medi-Share Christian Health Insurance card or Dental/Vision card.

Medical Bill Status: As soon as Medi-Share receives your medical bill, they will add it to your member portal for you to be able to see what you were charged for, how much of a discount they negotiated, and and any amount that you still have to pay (such as before you've reached your AHP).

Refer a Friend: Medi-Share's referral program. My family and I are part of this program by the way, and if you or any friends/family are considering joining, we would be so grateful if you used our link to learn more information.

Medi-Share runs a charity program to pay for the medical expenses of families in need. It's called Extra Blessings. Our referrals allow us to make a monthly donation to fund this program as well as to continue maintaining this Medi-Share Reviews Site.


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Republican Tax Plan and the Individual Mandate

12/18/2017

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Today's topic is the Trump tax plan and the removal of the individual mandate. This change would mean that there would no longer be a requirement to have health insurance or be a member of a healthcare sharing ministry, and those choosing to remain uninsured wouldn't have to pay an Obamacare penalty. 

Individual Mandate Law Change

​Overall, we here at Medi-Share Reviews are happy with this change. Insurance should be a decision made by the individual and family. For most, it will make sense to pay a fixed amount each month in exchange for having unexpected medical bills paid or shared. But in a free country, you should have the right to purchase or decline any service. Forcing people to buy something they don't want is not the right solution. 

With that said, the individual mandate was how my family and I found Medi-Share. We were going without any insurance when we could no longer afford it. We didn't want to pay the Obamacare penalty though, and that was when we discovered we could pay 60% less as Medi-Share members relative to traditional insurance. At this point, whether the individual mandate stays or goes, we will always stay happy Medi-Share members. 

What should follow up the removal of the individual mandate is making healthcare affordable again. Opaque pricing, short hospital visits that costs thousands of dollars, and poor customer service should be made relics of the past. The way to do that is by embracing a free market. Stop artificially limiting the supply of doctors and move to a completely free healthcare market where consumers and healthcare providers interact on a voluntary basis. 

Until that happens, individual mandate or not, we will be sticking with Medi-Share and hope that you and your family find the solution that best meets your needs as well. 
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From the Mailbag: Medi-Share vs Insurance

10/19/2017

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Reader Geoff R. from San Diego, CA wrote in to me with a question; with his permission, I share it here and offer my reply.

I've been looking into Medi Share and see on their site and yours that it's not insurance. I read the explanation but still don't quite get it. If you join, you pay a certain amount every month, and then they pay your medical bills. In what way is this not insurance?

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​Great question.

While it's true that Medi-Share and other Christian healthcare sharing ministries function similarly to traditional insurance, there is a crucial difference. Insurance companies operate a for-profit business where they take in your premiums and guarantee they'll pay for certain healthcare expenses.


Medi-Share is a Christian non-profit that facilitates members paying each others' bills. If they were an insurance company, they would keep your monthly payment, invest it, and aim to pay out a smaller amount for future claims than they took in initially. Instead their role is simply to distribute monthly payments among members that have medical expenses, providing all members with predictability and efficiency for a much lower cost than insurance companies. Members can even vote on what types of medical expenses are shared.

So while both Medi-Share and insurance companies will both get your medical bills paid for you, they accomplish that task in very different ways. Insurance companies do it in a heavily regulated environment, collecting premiums, investing them for profit, and paying out for claims the minimum they're required to. Medi-Share lets members decide what expenses are shared, and then as a non-profit organizes it so that everyone is paying each others' medical bills with as small a monthly payment as possible. 

Geoff, I hope that helps! 
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Medi-Share and Maternity

5/22/2017

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Having a family is an incredible blessing. 

The process of navigating maternity healthcare, however, can be very difficult. The ultrasounds, doctor appointments, and lab work can easily cost $5,000 or more. Then the actual birth, typically costing at least $10,000. 

Medi-Share can help with maternity in three important ways.

Maternity Bills are Eligible for Sharing. So long as you're a member of Medi-Share at the time of conception, in a Christian marriage, then your maternity bills are eligible for sharing. What this means is that if you have paid more than your AHP (Annual Household Portion -- like a deductible), then your bills we be paid by Medi-Share. Even if your AHP is the highest level of $10,000, you will almost certainly exceed this amount during the pregnancy and have all subsequent bills paid in full.

Negotiation of Discounts. We have detailed elsewhere that Medi-Share will usually negotiate significant discounts from your bills before you have reached your AHP. This is the same with maternity. Blood work and ultrasounds, for example, are often discounted by 50% or more. 

​Ease of Use. If you're required to prepay for treatment, Medi-Share will still reimburse you (or have the provider reimburse you) if it's an expense that qualifies for sharing. If an unexpected procedure is necessary, you don't need pre-approval like most insurance companies require. And there is a dedicated Maternity phone number to answer any questions that you may have.

If you are considering starting a family, that is another good reason to look into joining Medi-Share.


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Dave Ramsey Speaks On Medi-Share

4/20/2017

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We here at Medi-Share Reviews have a tremendous amount of respect for Christian personal finance guru Dave Ramsey. His advice on home ownership, investing, budgeting, and taxes is well-informed and comes from an honest and knowledgeable Christian perspective.

Reader Luke H. has written in to point out that Mr. Ramsey has in fact discussed Christian healthcare sharing ministries, and Medi-Share specifically, on his site.

Dave Ramsey talking about Christian Insurance and Medi-Share

After praising Christian healthcare sharing ministries in general, calling most of them "very reliable," Mr. Ramsey singles out Medi-Share's "great reputation."

He then points out correctly that Christian health insurance alternatives are not insurance and don't face the same regulations as insurance companies. What this means is that you need one that has a long track record of serving its members, such as the 28 years that Medi-Share has been providing affordable healthcare sharing. 
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"In 1993, a formalized approach to sharing healthcare burdens began with the Medi-Share program. From small beginnings, this big ideal took root."

​By the way, in case Mr. Ramsey's post isn't available when you click on it, here are his exact words:

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There are several programs out there with long track records of always doing what they say ... I wouldn’t go with one that doesn’t have several decades under its belt. MediShare, as an example, has a great reputation.

The reason why Mr. Ramsey correctly advises his readers to be careful is because Christian healthcare sharing ministries are not insurance, a point that we talk about more in our post: "What is Christian Health Insurance?" As well as our main YouTube MediShare review, we also have our newer YouTube video specifically on Medi-Share Reviews and Dave Ramsey.

If you believe in Dave Ramsey's advice and are looking for an inexpensive health insurance alternative, please request your free info packet directly from Medi-Share, providing many more details and telling you exactly how much you would pay each month as a member.

What is your favorite Dave Ramsey wisdom?
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What is "Christian Health Insurance"?

7/12/2016

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The term "Christian health insurance" is an interesting one because it doesn't mean what it appears to: health insurance for Christians. The reason is that it isn't traditional insurance. 

Christian Insurance

​Insurance is a heavily regulated trillion dollar industry. The goal of insurance companies is to minimize the ratio of claims they pay out and expenses relative to the premiums they take in. They use money they take in to invest (for example, this is a big part of how Warren Buffett got so rich -- investing premiums paid to insurance companies he owned), and spend large sums in regulatory compliance.

I'm not complaining about insurance companies. They're businesses out to make a profit and there's no problem with that. The question though is whether it's the right solution for you.

"Christian health insurance" is a different type of solution. Instead of the insurance model, it works simply: If you have a medical bill you submit it to the healthcare sharing ministry you belong to, and other members pay it. 

It is a simple system and it works. Money isn't siphoned off for regulatory compliance or a quest for underwriting profit. It's just members helping other members. You also know exactly how much you'll pay each month, so there are no surprises. Everyone pays a reasonable fixed amount each month based on their ages and family size, and this money is used to pay medical bills as they arise.

There are different healthcare sharing ministries available, but at this point I can only speak about Medi-Share since this is the one I am a member of and see firsthand every month how well it works. Medi-Share is designed to help families by minimizing how much they pay per month and providing them the best possible care.

Affordable Health Care for Families

​Here are the benefits of Medi-Share compared to traditional insurance or being uninsured:

  • You will save an average of about 63% per year compared to normal insurance. 
  • Even if you haven't met your AHP (deductible), Medi-Share will negotiate a discount of up to 80-90% on your bill.
  • Free 24/7 online doctor appointments
  • No Obamacare penalty for being uninsured
  • Prayer, help, and guidance from Medi-Share itself and fellow members as desired.

For more details, please read our main Medi-Share review, or watch the Medi-Share video review, providing complete information on how Medi-Share works. ​​If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them as a comment on this blog and I'll be happy to reply and answer. 
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Christian Health Insurance

6/27/2015

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Christian Health

Today we're going to break down what the term "Christian Health Insurance" really means.  As we'll see, it's actually a Christian alternative to health insurance.  Then we'll talk about how it works.



What is Christian Health Insurance?

When most people say Christian Health Insurance, they actually mean the same healthcare sharing ministries we've talked about in the last two blog entries: see here and here.  Let's discuss the two components individually.

Christian health insurance is Christian because it only allows Christians to join.  In the application process, you will be asked about your faith, and must give your word about your religious beliefs and church attendance.  It is based on a system of trust.  

One of the reasons why this trust is so important is because the members themselves vote -- on an annual basis -- exactly what medical expenses should be eligible under the program.  And ones pertaining to un-Christian behavior, such as drug rehab or pregnancy out of wedlock, are not covered.

Additionally, you are given the opportunity to send messages of support and prayer for those in the program your monthly payments are benefiting.  And conversely, you will receive a network of support and prayer when you need it.  

So that is the religious component of Christian Health Insurance.   Now let's look at the insurance component.


Is it Really Insurance?

The answer is "No," and believe me that when you apply, you will be told this more times than you can probably count!

Healthcare sharing ministries do not act like insurance companies that have armies of actuaries calculating how high premiums must be to ensure sufficient profit.  They are not subject to the same intensive regulations whose costs are ultimately passed on to consumer.  And  nor do they make the same guarantees of payment.

Instead, they have a network of members who pay each other's medical bills.  The system functions very similarly to conventional insurance.  You will pay a fixed monthly amount, which depends on your age, health, deductible, and how many are in your family.  This amount acts like the premium.

You will pay a certain amount for each doctor or emergency room visit.  This amount acts like the copay.

You will only have your medical bills paid once you have already spent a certain amount in the year.  This amount acts like the deductible.  

For more details on exactly how one healthcare sharing ministry works, feel free to look at our MediShare review, which goes into more detail.


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    Author

    Hi! My name is Colin. My family and I switched to Medi-Share when we could no longer afford normal health insurance. It has changed our lives and now we want to help others and spread the word.

    Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. I will always be happy to help.

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