Health Care Cost Sharing Ministries The advantage of health care sharing ministries is a cost that's less than traditional insurance. However, they do come with restrictions not found in traditional insurance plans. `By some estimates, upwards of 500,000 people may be participating in these cost sharing plans. While there have been instances of misappropriated of funds, most appear to provide a reliable service. In order for members to be exempt from the tax penalties outlined in the Affordable Care Act, ministries must meet the following qualifications: Must be a 501(c)(3) organization Members must share common ethical or religious beliefs Must not discriminate membership based on state of residence or employment Members cannot lose membership due to development of a medical condition Must have existed and been in practice continually since December 31, 1999 Must be subject to an annual audit by an independent CPA (publicly available upon request) Not all health care sharing ministries meet these requirements. Four ministries that are reported to have met these qualifications are: Christian Healthcare Ministries, Liberty HealthShare, Samaritan Ministries, and Medi-Share. More resources below: 1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Health care sharing ministry 2. Nolo report - Health Care Sharing Ministries: A Little Known Exception to Obamacare 3. Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries - Compares two health cost sharing ministries: 1. Medi-Share (MyChristianCare.org Founded in 1993), 2. Samaritan (SamaritanMinistries.org Founded in 1994) 4. Health Care Sharing by Samaritan Ministries 2016 Publications Which Health Care Sharing Ministries Meet the Guidelines? More People Turn to Faith-Based Groups for Health Coverage More People Turn to Faith-Based Groups for Health Coverage 2015 Publications Do You Believe in Health Care Sharing Ministries? Banking on faith: Cost-sharing ministries offer Obamacare alternative Onward, Christian Health Care? 2014 Publications Sharing Health - Mutual aid lives on in the battle against medical bills Christian Health Care Sharing Versus Health Insurance Religious exemptions from the health care individual mandate Can't Afford Obamacare? Consider a Health Care Sharing Ministry Instead Obamacare's Bump: More Christians Now Sharing Health Care Costs 2013 Publications The Religious Alternative To Obamacare's Individual Mandate Make that FIVE sharing ministries… Health care sharing ministry members share their experiences Opting-out of Obamacare through medical-sharing ministries Samaritan Ministries vs Christian Healthcare Ministries Obamacare vs. Samaritan Health-Care Ministry: A Case Study 2012 Publications A Christian Alternative to Health Insurance 2011 Publications Should we sign up for a ‘health-care sharing ministry? (Consumer Reports) 2005 Publications Seeking Divine Protection |