The Personal Attention of Samaritans

No kidding: We get handwritten notes along with our medical bill reimbursement checks.

Imagine a world where where Blue Cross / Blue Shield sent all its members get-well cards with personal notes to the recovering claimants, written by employees who each put a part of the claim in the envelopes. That’s what happens with the healthcare group we’re involved in. We were hit with two major medical expenses since September, and Micah’s checks are all in, Chris’ are coming in this month, and they each come with a personalized encouragement of some sort. We love it!

Samaritan Ministries is a cooperative group of people who pool their commitment to one another by sending medical reimbursement checks to cover medical expenses. The process is quite different than traditional insurance or government programs. The process makes a lot of sense, but one of the coolest things about the process are the handwritten notes of encouragement we receive from other members.

One of Micah’s checks came from a family with a 5-year-old son. The parents included this boy’s short get-well note written personally to Micah for healing to his finger. It came with $1 of the boy’s own money. Micah was so encouraged that he made a custom wooden sword (from the very swords he cut the day he cut his finger) and sent it to him. Isn’t that just great?

Standing on this side of $70,000 of medical bills, we can sincerely testify that God’s people came through. The system Samaritan has come up with is effective. Our claim is published, and the system lets its members know what their payments are and where they should go. We send our monthly check loyally (as we have since 2004 when we joined), even with a bit of enthusiasm knowing that the money is going to another brother or sister in Christ to help in his/her time of need. Multiply that by 18,000 members and you have quite an impressive group of people taking care of one another.

Are you interested? Samaritan is perfect for self-employed families, but also good for part-time workers or others with no insurance. Samaritan may be for you. There are restrictions (every healthcare solution has restrictions), but investigating this for your family may be up your alley. Visit Samaritan Ministries’ Website. They come with our strongest recommendation!

*Full disclosure: Samaritan members are automatically enrolled in an affiliate program, so if you become a member and list us as your referral, we receive a discount on our monthly payment. That disclosed, know that we do not endorse anything on this website without being fully sold on its value already.

Sheila

This sounds like a good system.
Living here in the UK we don’t really think about medical care as it is free.
Sometimes there are long waiting lists for treatment though so if you can pay to have private care it can often be worth it. Our health service is hugely overstretched due to high levels of immigration which is a big problem.
The Samaritan Ministries healthcare program sounds similar to what the Amish community have where the community all contribute to a common pool.
Do you have to pay a lot in each month?

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Thank you for sharing that Sheila. Nothing is really free you pay in one way or another either with a long wait or higher taxes. We pay $320.00 a month for Samaritan and our check and note goes directly to a family. We also pray for that family.

Sheila

You’re right Wendy, nothing is really free!
We pay about 5% of our take-home pay in National Insurance for our healthcare.

Guest

After watching what the Jeubs have gone through, worrying and waiting for Samaritan checks, I’d much rather give 5% of my pay and be assured that my medical care is completely paid for. Much less stress!

And I’d never belong to a health care group like Samaritan, that excludes people from other religions. Apparently, they don’t deserve health care. WWJD?

Gudis

I think someone who had lived with both systems would be best qualified to compare the two.

Guest

I have lived with both systems. The only good thing about having the free medical for me was the emergency room. If you had something minor you could get it taken care of then, but if it was something major like surgery you would have to wait. I eventually had to come to terms with dying if I had a major issue and couldn’t get the surgery in time. I don’t mean that in a morbid way, just kind of the way it is. But with eye and dental, I just pay out of pocket in US for that.
Kate

I have lived with both systems. The only good thing about having the free medical for me was the emergency room. If you had something minor you could get it taken care of then, but if it was something major like surgery you would have to wait. I eventually had to come to terms with dying if I had a major issue and couldn’t get the surgery in time. I don’t mean that in a morbid way, just kind of the way it is. But with eye and dental, I just pay out of pocket in US for that.

Alexx

Im British, I’ve never had to “accept Im going to die” if something serious happens – which system have you used my I ask? I’m not trying to be rude, I have only had good experiences having had cancer and having to wait less than a day after diagnosis to have the initial operation to remove the tumour…..it’s done in order of urgency…..perfect? Oh no certainly not. I waited 3 months for a minor op to remove something causing no pain or discomfort and presenting no danger for that reason-not urgent,

Wendy is right though, as is Sheila, it’s not free, I pay for this through my taxes, automatically removed from my pay cheque each month. But Im happy with this, I don’t have to think about it or worry about sickness (not financially anyway). The systems is overstretched for many reasons, immigration, a growing population and everyone living longer. I probably pay about the same as the Jeubs each month (if my dollar to pund conversion is right anyway, )

The cards and letters within the scheme are a sweet idea, I do like personal touches.

Just to add, I like your cookbook too wendy!

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Thank you about the cookbook. I really do like the fact that my share goes right to the family in need. The shares will not pass through many hands first each taking some part before it gets to the family. This is not a gigantic system and so little red tape. I have learned many things too. I did not know that you could negotiate your medical bills. Chris’s hospital bill was $23,300.00 and because of Samaritan they were going to let me pay $16,300.00 when I called to pay off the bill I ended up paying $14,100.00! Because I had the cash right there I was more in control and they were happy to get that much money all at once.

Jane

They do that because there are so many deadbeats who don’t pay at all. Hospitals are happy to take a loss, so long as they get some money ($14,000 is way better than 0)
Beka

Actually, if you look at a hospital “account” that your insurance sends you after your treatment, you will find that they “disallow” many of the things the hospital bills them for. My hospital bill after having my second daughter was around $25,000, but Kaiser “disallowed” the charges down to $10,000 and then paid those. I don’t see a difference in Kaiser negotiating (or refusing to pay) a certain amount and a private party negotiating the same thing.
DJ

Kaiser has the power to negotiate the terms it wants because it has so many subscribers. If a hospital doesn’t accept what Kaiser says, Kaiser and it’s subscribers go elsewhere.

Nadia

I’m not sure what free system you lived under, but it sounds terrible. I’m Canadian and we don’t die while waiting for surgery. If there’s too many urgent cases people get transferred to other cities, provinces or even the US for treatment. Everything is paid for from taxes and everyone is treated the same. When we’re sick we don’t worry about the cost,and families don’t go bankrupt because of illness. The standard of care that I saw in the US (for a middle class person) is exactly like what i’ve experienced in Canada. I pay approx. 30% in tax ,not sure of how much goes to healthcare.

That being said.. I think that I’m going to start sending cards whenever I donate to charities. What a wonderful idea.

Guest

I had thought you were supposed to be completely reimbursed by January. Do you find there is a delay?

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

It is January. Samaritan members need to send out their shares by 15th of the month. We will have it all by the end of the month.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BZXHT7XDXDDSOBCWGPTUGYGV5Q Elizabeth

I have 5 unrelated primary cancers, 3 of them rare, orphan cancers. I’ve been near death from septic shock. I really am thankful I had an HMO and now have medicare. I don’t think Samaritan would have provided the coverage I needed to say nothing of not paying for office visits and meds.

And while I can understand some of their not covering life style conditions I have news for them. Diabetes 1 is not a life style condition. There are other conditions they mention not covering that aren’t life style realted either.

And not covering mental health? Hello, all the religion and faith in the world will not cure or manage schizophrenia, bipolar, severe clinical depression, etc.

Samaritan sounds like a pyramid scheme to me.

Sheila

God can cure anything, mental health issues included!

Jane343

But He often chooses not to, I guess. That’s why we have health insurance.

Sheila(UK)

Sometimes life’s events and situations are allowed by God to teach us something or to develop our character.
Many trials can be beneficial in the long term.
We can learn patience,faith and develop compassion for others through our own difficult times.The Bible tells us that suffering is a necessary part of a Christian’s life.

Guest

So health insurance is intended to alleviate the suffering God is trying to give us? I don’t understand. Why would a good Christian purchase health insurance then?

Sheila

Even if we are suffering from an illness that leads us to a character development such as compassion, it doesn’t mean that we don’t seek medical attention for that condition.
God has given men knowledge to help with certain medical issues and that is why we pay for medical insurance. Medical help costs money!
God’s help can come in the form of miraculous cures but is more likely to be found by leading us to those who have the skills to help us.
God is not trying to give us suffering- he sometimes allows it for our benefit. (Romans 8:28)

Guest

Children suffer horrible, painful diseases so their parents can learn “patience”?
Guest

ddd
Maria

” God is not trying to give us suffering- he sometimes allows it for our
benefit.”

Sounds like one and the same thing.
Sheila(UK)

Not the same thing at all. If we only had good experiences we would not develop a rounded character.
Allowing someone to walk through a tough time is not the same as making the tough time occur. Many things happen in life which cause suffering and there can be many reasons for them.
Firstly, they can be caused by sin and disobedience, either on our part or on the part of someone else.
Secondly, sickness and disease are the result of sin entering the world and we may suffer due to that.
Thirdly, man’s sinful nature may cause large scale suffering as in war.
God did not give us any of this type of suffering but He does allow us to walk through it sometimes.
We have to accept all of life’s circumstances, including the bad ones, and remember if we love God and live according to His will, we will come through it .

http://www.jeubfamily.com Chris Jeub

I’m sorry for your health issues, Elizabeth, and glad to hear you had coverage. But about Samaritan, you really don’t have the facts right. Samaritan is not a pyramid scheme, that’s for sure, and pre-existing conditions are seldom covered under any insurance plan. Wendy and I can honestly attest to the fact that Samaritan is the real deal.

bonnmark

We have been members of Samaritan for 3 years now…we have had 2 babies and our 6 month old was diagnosed with Spinal Menegitas and heart flighted to a bigger hospital in August and not expected to survive (Praise be to God! He is a perfectly healthy, normal 11 1/2 month old miracle boy today!) He was in the PICU for 11 days and in the intermediate care for 8 more days before coming home with a pic line for continued medication for another week. All this to say that Samaritan has been AMAZING! Most of the payments come with prayers and get well wishes that are so encouraging…I am saving them all to give to our boy when he is older to remind him of the miracle God did in his life! Samaritan works with the medical providers as well, to get the lowest possible amount owed, and I love that there is no inflated billing allowed filled with magical medical coding;-) I firmly believe that this is what the “Chruch” of Christ should all be doing…providing for those with a medical need and praying for those needs…INCREDIBLE!