QUESTION #4: How is Medi-Share different than other Christian health sharing programs?
Answer:
Michael Gardner:
“There are certainly other healthcare sharing ministries. The concept in general, is a really great one. So, I think some of the questions people want to ask as they’re evaluating them are some of the differences. All the sharing ministries are based upon a biblical idea, the early church. We take our inspiration from the Acts 2 church, believers coming together and helping one another and sharing things, so that their needs are met, and all of the healthcare sharing programs I believe do that as well. Some of the differences have to do with the way in which sharing happens. You know, is it automatic, or do you pay other members’ bills directly? Our version of healthcare sharing tends to be a little more automated, so we basically assist members in sharing with one another.
Some of the ministries also have maximums on the amount that’s shareable. Some of them do a per incidence basis for sharing as well. So, each sharing model looks a little bit differently, but some of the things that make Medi-Share stand out are the affordability.The average family pays right around $350 a month. That’s based on a couple different things. I’m a little bit older than our average member, so my family pays a little bit more, but that’s one of those really great things is the affordability.
You know, the really great thing about it is, what we hear from members, it’s not only stories about the fact that needs were shared for things like injuries, accidents, cancer diagnoses, heart conditions, those types of things. We have great things, too, that happen. 3,500 births, between 2,500 and 3,500 births into membership each year, those are great things to celebrate. We hear those stories all the time, but the stories we’re hearing more and more all the time from people are what they do with their savings. We have members saying, we’re saving a few hundred dollars a month, so they’re able to increase their giving to their church. They’re able to homeschool kids, when they didn’t think that was an option. They’re able to go into part-time or sometimes full-time ministry. They’re able to go back to bible college and fulfill that kind of a calling too, so that Kingdom impact is what I think we’re most excited about.”
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