If you recently joined Medi-Share and are not sure what that entails, we’re here to help! Joining a healthcare sharing ministry can involve a learning curve, especially if you are used to insurance plans.
One of the most important things to understand is the concept of sharing each other’s medical needs. Each Medi-Share family pays a monthly share that directly supports another member or members in need. By offering not only your financial assistance, but encouragement through the app or personal notes, and prayers, you are essentially the hands and feet of Christ to your fellow members. The amazing thing is in your time of need, your fellow members will be there for you, too.
Eligible medical expenses are shared by the members once you have met your Annual Household Portion (AHP), and all bills are processed for discounting—even if you haven’t yet met your AHP. Our members share an average of $52 million per month!
Each member household chooses their AHP, which is the amount you as a family commit to pay out of pocket for the year before your eligible bills will be shared – and that’s for the whole family, not per person. Whenever you have a medical event, your provider should submit bills to Medi-Share so they can be discounted and applied to your AHP. Prescriptions can also be submitted for reimbursement and applied to your AHP.
Once you’ve met your AHP, all eligible expenses are shared at 100%, not 80% or less as you may be used to.
So what is an eligible expense and what is not? The best thing you can do for your family is educate yourself on the member-voted Medi-Share Guidelines.
In a nutshell, care received for a NEW illness or injury will be eligible for sharing. For example, let's say you injure yourself repairing something in your home and head to urgent care. The provider bill, any related prescription, and the bill from your follow-up appointment with your primary care provider will be submitted for discounting and applied to your AHP if you haven't met it, or submitted for sharing if you have.
One guideline to be aware of is that routine care, though important, is not eligible for sharing. Our members find that the money they save each month is able to go toward those expenses that can be planned for, such as annual physicals, mammograms, and routine lab work.
One of the greatest tools available to all Medi-Share members is our telehealth service. From your computer, tablet, or from the Medi-Share mobile app, you can access FREE consultations with a board certified physician 24/7, 365 days a year for non-emergency issues. They can even prescribe medication during your call or video chat. The app is also a great place to connect with other members and pray for each other, as well as join in on various community groups.
Telehealth comes in extremely handy when you’re away from home, if you have not yet reached your AHP, or just don’t feel like leaving home and sitting in a waiting room.
Now that you’re armed with some key information, you may be wondering, “Will healthcare sharing work for me when I need it most?” That’s exactly what these members thought at the beginning and, thankfully, they found that Medi-Share and its members were a huge support during some of their most difficult times:
What questions do you have about Medi-Share? Share them in the comments.