Secondly when you are paying with your own money, I bet it encourages folks to maintain healthy lifestyles, not overuse antibiotics or run to the doctor for every little thing. In short the responsibility is on the family, not the system.

I truly admire your family for being able to participate in this.

Wendy went into the hospital recently for dehydration and she had to spend the night. The total bill was over $7000, but because we paid cash, we only paid less than $3500. We are now filing the claim with Samaritan and, in the end, we’ll receive much of it back.

What happens when someone has a medical cost that is more than they can afford? Diagnostic testing, surgery, cancer treatment? Or is this just for routine health care costs as opposed to something catastrophic?
Enjoyed looking at your website. Good wishes to all of you.

Sid

Sid raises a valid concern, because not everyone has a big chunk of money sitting around that they can use to pay a massive medical bill. Some Samaritan Members do what Chris is suggesting - pay their bills and then look to Samaritan members for reimbursement, but most people just tell the hospital to bill them and then pay the bill as soon as they have the money in hand. My family had a $10,000 hospital bill about a year and a half ago, and the hospital was very gracious with us. They gave us a couple of months to pay, and when we said we were paying cash, they gave us a discount.

With Samaritan, you can turn in any medical need (that falls with the guidelines)that’s over $300 all the way up to $100,000, and there’s a separate program you can sign up for called Save to Share for medical needs that are over $100,000. It’s the little bills (under $300) that you can’t turn in to Samaritan.

And Sid, regarding surgery, cancer treatment, diagnostic testing, etc.; those are all typical needs that Samaritan publishes every month, and the ministry works. I know because I work there.

…so maybe I’m biased…

Also, what if everyone sent checks to the same person for a medical need? What if one person got, say, $1000 when they only needed $465 but another person needed $767 and they didn’t get anything? How is this managed in Samaritan.

Thanks!

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No, we did not look into Medi-Share, so I can’t comment on that group.
Samaritan lets members know the amount and recipient for their monthly gift. They do post information on “needs,” usually consisting of emergency health needs or needs that don’t fall under the guidelines. People are free to give to these as they wish.
-Chris
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