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In this post, I am going to do a comparison of Altrua Healthshare and Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share).
I will go over member responsibility amounts (what member’s pay before the community shares in any medical bills), monthly costs (this is dependent on age, individual/family memberships, and the Member Responsibility amount you choose), preventative sharing, pre-existing conditions, maternity, turnaround time to pay medical bills, and any special considerations to be aware of.
Member Responsibility Amounts
Altrua Healthshare Member Responsibility Amount (MRA): For the first MRA, it is $500 (Diamond Plan), $1000 (Emerald Plan), $1500 (Sapphire Plan), or $7500 (Ruby Plan). For the second MRA: If the member is on the Ruby Plan, the member is responsible for 50% of the next $10,000 per member ($5,000 maximum) if the licensed medical professional/facility is non-affiliated. If the member is on the Sapphire, Emerald, or Diamond Plan, the member is responsible for a maximum of $2,500 to the licensed medical professional/facility (maximum of $5,000 if Medicare Plus 25% isn’t accepted and licensed medical professional/facility is non-affiliated).
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share) Annual Household Portion (AHP): The Annual Household Portion (AHP) is the dollar amount that a Member Household agrees to pay toward Eligible Medical Bills before any eligible bills may be shared among the Members. The AHP amount resets every 12 months on the Effective Date. Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share) has several AHP amounts: $3000, $6000, $9000, and $12000.
Monthly Contribution Price Range
Altrua Healthshare: $105 to $900
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): $81 to $1,229
Statement of Faith
Altrua Healthshare:Must agree to a “Statement of Standards” – These are based on ethical and religious beliefs, including no sexual relations outside of marriage.
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): Must agree to their specific qualifications for a “Christian Testimony”. Not all Christian denominations will fit into these beliefs.
For more detailed information on faith-based requirements, please read this post about Christian HealthShare Plans.
If you prefer a HealthShare that has no religious requirements, please read my post about Secular HealthShare Plans.
Preventative Sharing
Altrua Healthshare: Emerald and Diamond plans allow members to go to an annual wellness visit. Members would need to pay $35 and the visit is shareable up to $300.
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): 1 routine physical (2 labs) per year. Must use the PCHS Network.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Altrua Healthshare: There is a 2-5 year waiting period, depending on what the pre-existing condition is.
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): After 3 years of membership, up to $300,000/year shareable and after 5 years of membership, up to $500,000 /year is shareable with the Health Share community.
For more detailed information, please read my post about How The Top Health Share’s Handle Pre-Existing Conditions.
Maternity
Altrua Healthshare: Members must be married in order to have maternity and newborn needs shared. The lower cost plans (Ruby and Sapphire) do not share in any maternity needs. Whether you are on the Emerald or Diamond plan, the member would need to pay a $5,000 member responsibility amount for maternity needs.
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): Members must be married in order to have maternity and newborn needs shared. Maternity medical expenses for newborns conceived outside of marriage are ineligible for sharing. Pregnancies resulting from rape reported to a law enforcement authority are the only exception. If members can show that they have an eligible maternity need, the member would need to pay their member responsibility amount.
Sharing is limited to $125,000 for any single pregnancy event, to include antepartum care, the cost of delivery and complications to the mother and/or child(ren) and postpartum care.
Feel free to learn more at The Top Health Share’s Maternity Benefits (Comparison Guide).
Turnaround Time for Paying Medical Bills
Altrua Healthshare: 30-45 business days
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): 30 business days
Considerations
Altrua Healthshare: There is a lifetime limit of $2 million per member.
Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): There are so many programs and price points that it can become confusing on what is and isn’t shared with the community.
Health Share Reviews
Choosing a Health Share plan is a very personal decision. Feel free to check out Altrua HealthShare Reviews and Medi-Share Reviews. I provide a lot more information on each Health Share and you can read reviews from other members.
There are so many different Health Share plans to choose from, which is great, but it can also be overwhelming! To help narrow down your choices, I wrote an article on the Best Health Share Plans. You will find which health share plans I recommend to help you on your search for affordable healthcare.
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