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.

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.

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.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was passed into law in early 2010.  An ostensible goal was to make more Americans insured, and the bill has succeeded in the goal. How did it accomplish this?

Primarily, it required that those without insurance get it or pay a significant penalty.  When you file your taxes, you now have to provide information about your health insurance.  If you or your dependents don't have health insurance in 2015, you will pay a minimum of $325 per person ($162.50 for dependents), up to a maximum penalty per family of $975.  Or if 2% of your income is higher than this per-person penalty, you must pay that amount instead.

The Obamacare penalty will increase even higher in 2016.  

There are exemptions from this penalty, which fall in three main categories.

Obamacare comes with a stiff penalty for those who different have insurance.  We're going to talk about how much that penalty is, and exactly what are options are for avoiding it.  

The first main category of Obamacare exemptions is hardship.  You can get an exemption, for example, if your income is below the tax filing threshold, insurance would cost more than 8% of your household income, or other types of general hardship.

The second category is membership in certain groups.  For example, if you belong to a Native American tribe or belong to certain religious sects, you may qualify for an exemption.

The third category for exemption is membership in a healthcare sharing ministry.

Of course, the advantage to this third category of exemption is that you still get benefits and protection similar to normal health insurance through your membership in the healthcare sharing ministry.  You can pay less for these benefits, opt out of Obamacare, and win on both fronts.

This is the reason why my wife and I joined MediShare.  We wanted the benefits of health insurance, affordability, and exemption from the expensive Obamacare penalty.  

Whether you join MediShare like we did, or join a different healthcare sharing ministry, I would highly recommend exploring this alternative to conventional health insurance.  

If you belong to a healthcare sharing ministry, or have another alternative to Obamacare to suggest, please contact me or share it in the comments.  I would be very happy to hear from you.

Hi, my name is Colin, and I'm launching this site because I wanted to help others looking for affordable healthcare, Christian health insurance, and other alternatives to Obamacare.  

Perhaps you're like me:

Do you believe that it should be your decision how best to provide for your family's healthcare?

Do you believe that conventional health insurance is too expensive and too impersonal?

Do you believe there should be affordable medical care for you and your family?

I believe all these things.  That's why I was very happy to discover that there is an excellent alternative to conventional health insurance, called Healthcare Sharing Ministries (HSMs).  

I plan to discuss this topic in much more depth in future blog entries.  But as a starting point, here are some of the benefits of healthcare sharing ministries:

1. Belonging to an HSM will immediately exempt you from Obamacare and the highly punitive Obamacare penalty.  More on this in the next blog entry.

2. Most will pay substantially less compared to conventional health insurance.

3. You will become part of a personal and caring network of fellow members.  

4. Access to a vast network of doctors.  

5. A convenient system where bills are automatically submitted for payment.  

The reason this site is called "MediShare Reviews" is because the particular HSM my wife and I joined is called MediShare, and we have loved it so far.  I would like to find and publish others' experiences with MediShare and compile many reviews.  So please get in touch if you're also a member.  

The other goal of this blog will be to discuss other HSMs and alternatives to conventional health insurance.  I hope you keep reading!