Medi-Share Complete FAQs

Taking care of each other was a way of life for Christians in the days of the early Church. The book of Acts is a great picture of the fellowship of believers as well as mutual care.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 2:44-45

Christians view Medi-Share as a way to reclaim their biblical mandate to care and provide for their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Medi-Share is self-regulated by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is responsible for the policy decisions of the ministry.   

The Members make the rules! All Members have the opportunity to vote on how they wish to care for one another. The Board of Directors and Medi-Share Steering Committee members review suggestions from Medi-Share Members and recommends changes to the Guidelines. Voting is used to help create, amend and change the program Guidelines; voting is not used for determining whether specific individual bills should be approved for sharing.  

Members have chosen Medi-Share for many reasons:

1. Good Stewardship

Most Medi-Share members are able to significantly cut their annual medical expenses, leaving them with more of their income to support their families and the Lord's work.

2. Not Subsidizing Unbiblical Lifestyles

Medi-Share members and their dollars do not pay for abortions, drug addictions, or any other unbiblical lifestyles.

3. Sharing With Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Knowing that a Christian will receive your monthly sharing gift is very gratifying. Medi-Share members know that they are truly making a difference in the life of a brother or sister in Christ. Those receiving those gifts are greatly encouraged in their time of need by prayer and by the cards and letters that are often sent.  

No. Medi-Share is not insurance. Medi-Share is a healthcare sharing program where Christians share their financial resources to pay each other’s medical expenses. Medi-Share isn’t insurance. Resources are shared directly between members. There is no pooling of funds as practiced by insurance groups. Christian Care Ministry and the Medi-Share program are not registered or licensed by any insurance entity, nor are we required to be. We do not collect premiums, make promise of payment, or guarantee that your medical bills will be paid. Sharing of medical bills is completely voluntary. 

Your share amount is subject to change at any time. A share adjustment may be necessary if the amount of medical bills submitted for sharing exceeds the amount of monthly shares coming in.

Your share payment is not deductible for federal income tax purposes as a charitable donation or as a medical expense. Since there is the strong possibility that your medical expenses will get shared by another Member, you cannot deduct your share as a charitable donation, even though Christian Care Ministry is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit ministry. Your share payment is not tax deductible as an insurance expense because Medi-Share is not insurance.

Your sharing account is used solely for the purpose of sharing medical bills. The monthly shares are deposited in your individual sharing account to bring financial integrity and security to the sharing process. Without it, you cannot participate in Medi-Share. 

Maternity is eligible for sharing, however, there are certain conditions and limitations, depending on which AHP level you choose. Maternity sharing is not available at the $1,000 or $1,750 AHP level, and maternity sharing is limited to $125,000 per pregnancy event. Please refer to Section VII. for specifics.

Up to two adoption events can be shared per Household. However, there are certain conditions. For more information, please read Section VIII. 

Members do not have deductibles. Instead, our members choose the Annual Household Portion (AHP) that works best for their budget.

The AHP is the annual amount a household is responsible for before medical bills will be approved for sharing. The AHP only applies to Eligible Medical Bills.  After the AHP has been met, ALL eligible medical bills will be submitted for sharing for the entire household.   

Members do not have a monthly premium. Instead, our members contribute a monthly “share” based on age and how many in the household.  Members deposit their monthly share into their sharing account and it goes directly into a fellow member’s sharing account to pay their medical bills.

Members do not file claims, nor does the ministry handle claims because we are not an insurance company. If your eligible medical bill is paid, it is paid with funds received directly from another member. Members present their member ID card to their service provider. The service provider then discounts the bill accordingly, if within the Preferred Provider Organization network. The bill is then sent to us where we negotiate for further discounts. Here, we review the services provided to determine if the bill is eligible for sharing. After the AHP has been met and if the bill is eligible, it is eligible for sharing among the other members. For more details on what is eligible and how the AHP works, please review the Guidelines.

The primary purpose of Medi-Share is to help share members’ burdens. Burdens are those unexpected medical bills you are unable to plan for (ie. broken bones, cancer, etc). Low monthly share amounts enable you to budget for your family’s routine care, which can be planned. There are exceptions for well-baby care, Section VII. E.

The AHP is the dollar amount a Member Household must pay toward their Eligible Medical Bills during a 12-month period before their needs will be approved for sharing. The AHP 12-month period begins with the Effective Date.

You will present your card every time you visit a medical provider. Your provider should submit your medical bills to CCM. They will be processed and discounted, and then your provider will bill you for the portion you owe. Once the amount you pay meets your chosen annual household portion level, your Eligible Medical Bills will be approved for sharing.

Members can change their AHP level online. All family members in a household must switch together to the new AHP. Certain limitations apply as shown in the chart in the Guidelines.

Your providers will submit all medical bills to CCM. At CCM, the bills will be processed and discounted if applicable. We would then apply eligible amounts toward your AHP or approve for sharing if your AHP has been met.

A household may qualify for a discount on their Monthly Share amount with the health incentive. All adult Members must meet certain health criteria. To qualify, Members must verify their blood pressure, BMI, and weight/waist measurement within 30 days of each other.  For more information, click here.

Members are encouraged to search for a provider within our PHCS network. Once at the doctor appointment, members are responsible for paying a provider fee during any office or ER visit. Medi-Share members pay a $35 provider fee for doctors and hospitalizations, and a $200 provider fee for emergency room care. The balance of the bill is then sent to Medi-Share for processing and discounting. If the medical bill is eligible for sharing, CCM determines whether the annual household portion has been met. If so, the net amount is approved for sharing. If not, the net amount (what you owe the provider) is applied to your AHP.

You are not required to use the providers in the provider directory. However, your bill will not be eligible for discounting if you visit a provider outside of the network.  

Use the "Find a Provider" tool

Yes, if you choose not to use a PHCS provider you may be penalized as using a PPO provider offers more savings for Members, including discounting. Section V.B. explains the penalties, and how to apply for a penalty waiver.

The provider fee is $35 for office and hospital visits and $200 for emergency room visits. This is the amount that a member must pay at each visit to a medical provider. Members are always responsible for paying the provider fee, even after the AHP has been met. Please note this does not apply toward the annual household portion.

No. Even if you know you have not met your AHP, you should have the providers submit the bills to CCM for discounting, to determine if they are eligible and whether they should be applied to your AHP. Your provider will then bill you for the net amount (which is the discounted amount minus the provider fee).

Prescription drugs related to the treatment of an eligible medical condition are published for sharing. Prescriptions are limited to six (6) months of treatment for each medical condition over the lifetime of the Member. All eligible prescriptions are applied toward your AHP and are approved for sharing, if your AHP has been met.

The cost of emergency room care may be eligible for sharing. The provider fee for emergency room care is $200. 

Yes. Testing and treatment for Coronavirus (COVID-19) are eligible for sharing, like costs for any testing or treatment of a confirmed illness, based on the Medi-Share Guidelines. Members should utilize free telehealth as their first route of care and, if further treatment is recommended, utilize PHCS providers when appropriate.

If members are feeling sick with fever >100.4° and cough or shortness of breath, they should utilize their free MDLive telehealth service first to help determine the necessary next steps.

As part of your Medi-Share membership, you have free access to 24/7 Telehealth. You can speak to a Board certified physician from the comfort of your home to review symptoms and get advice regarding any further steps.

You will continue to have access to MDLive, our contracted telehealth provider, at no cost. MDLive gives you 24/7 access to a board-certified physician who can help you determine if further care or testing is recommended before exposing yourself and/or others to the virus. If you have not yet registered or set up your account for MDLive, please visit MyChristianCare.org/mdlive and register now before you need care. If you are already set up with an account on MDLive, simply login to schedule your virtual call.