christian p2p insurance

We should probably talk about this in person because the typed words cannot adequately convey how completely angry SM insurance makes me. My [close relatives but I decided not to name them on the internet] have this “insurance”. They’ve adopted three children with major health issues with nothing more than SM “insurance” to cover their health needs.

Basically what it amounts to is that my [another close relative] uses her widow’s pension and [yet a third close relative] uses her savings from a life of teaching school in order to cover said [first relative’s] family medical bills. Oh, and every now and then they’ll get a hundred bucks or so in the mail from SM.

It’d be a good idea in theory, and might be okay if you just had to go to the doctor every now and again for the flu or something. But if you’ve had a several family health crises as they have…it sucks balls.

The main problem with it is that it’s apparently used mostly by ministers, missionaries, Christian school teachers and other people with low-paying jobs. So even if everyone pays the equivalent of an insurance payment every month it’s never enough to cover catastrophic need. Ever.

I’m sorry. I could go on. But I shouldn’t. Because I’ll then use unChristian words. That are mean.

I saw info about that kind of “insurance” years ago and thought it was a good-hearted idea that wouldn’t work well.

But it gave me a thought: Why don’t churches purchase group plans for their members? It would greatly bring down the cost of healthcare for their members, would help a lot of uninsured people get coverage, and also be an innovative way of following Biblical admonitions to care for the sick.

I’d require the members to pay a chunk of the premium (just as most employers do) so that churches wouldn’t just attract a zillion phantom members who never actually come to church. And I’d advise churches to have a fairly rigorous criteria for obtaining membership in that local congregation, such as a certain level of regular attendance, tithing, successful completion of an introductory membership class, etc.

Bill, I think I’m correct (but I’ll have to double-check with my experts) in saying that there’s some tax reason they don’t do that.

Insurance for a single adult costs roughly $5000 a year (more or less depending on the plan). That can double for a married couple (even more with children). There is no way churches could afford to buy insurance for its members.

Samaritan Ministries is not insurance. They even tell you (warn you) not to think of them as insurance. With the cheap rates they charge its amazing they have enough money to cover the needs of anyone. I think they sound like a cool concept, but I’d only think of them as supplimental.

Oh, by the way, your relative was a teacher? They should have adequate insurance! I also was a teacher, the state insurance covers us pretty well. Of course, maybe it depends on the state. One thing is for sure though, the availability of affordable medical insurance in this country is one big mess.

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I’d require the members to pay a chunk of the premium (just as most employers do) so that churches wouldn’t just attract a zillion phantom members who never actually come to church.