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In this post, I am going to do a comparison of OneShare Health and Samaritan Ministries.
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
OneShare Health Individual Sharing Amount (ISA): OneShare Health has three levels of personal responsibility amounts: $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000. This is the amount the member would need to pay before the OneShare Health community would share in any medical expenses.
Samaritan Ministries Initual Unshareable Amount (IUA): The initial unshareable amount, or IUA, is the amount that a member will pay before Samaritan Ministries shares in medical expenses. Your IUA amount will depend on which program you decide to join. For the Samaritan Basic, your IUA amount is $1,500. For the Samaritan Classic, your IUA amount is $400. If you want to change your program, there is a $100 fee to do so.
Monthly Contribution Price Range
OneShare Health: $115 to $1,750 (plus $50 for each child after the first three)
Samaritan Ministries: $135 to $555
Statement of Faith
OneShare Health: Must agree to their core biblical principles. The HealthShare is based on the Anabaptist Faith.
Samaritan Ministries: Must agree to their Statement of Faith. Must attend church regularly (3 out of every 4 weeks). Must have your pastor or Christian church leader sign a statement confirming that you meet their requirements.
Church denominations not allowed to join Samaritan Ministries: Church of Scientology, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Unitarianism.
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 Non-Religious HealthShare Plans.
Preventative Sharing
OneShare Health: For the Catastrophic Plan, there are no preventative treatments shared with members. For the Classic and Complete Plans, there is a 90-Day Waiting Period, excluding Immunizations, for Preventive Services and one (1) Wellness Visit per Member per Program Year.
For out-of-network Preventative Services, Primary Care Physician, or Specialists, 50% is shared after the member pays their ISA. For in-network Preventative Services, they will share up to $1,000. For a Primary Care Physician there is a $20-$50 visit fee. For Specialists, there is a $75-$125 visit fee.
Samaritan Ministries: Routine care (dental, vision, yearly wellness checks, colonoscopies, etc.) is generally not shared by Samaritan members. If a shareable condition is discovered because of a routine visit, those related medical expenses can be shared.
Pre-Existing Conditions
OneShare Health: There is a 24-Month Waiting Period for Pre-Existing Conditions. However, Routine Maintenance is available through PCP, Labs and Specialists Visits on the Classic and Complete Program for the following conditions: Diabetes 1&2, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and Thyroid.
Samaritan Ministries: Needs that result from a condition that existed prior to membership are only shareable if the condition has been symptom, treatment, and medication-free for 12 consecutive months. Some pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, heart conditions, and hereditary diseases, have a five-year period before they are eligible for sharing.
For more detailed information, please read my post about How The Top HealthShare’s Handle Pre-Existing Conditions.
Maternity
OneShare Health: For the Catastrophic Plan, there is no sharing available for Maternity needs. On the Classic and Complete Plan, members would need to pay their Individual Sharing Amount (ISA). OneShare will share up to $5,000 for a natural delivery, up to $8,000 for a c-section, and up to $50,000 if there are complications.
Samaritan Ministries: Maternity needs are shareable in Samaritan Classic provided there are at least two family members in the same membership program prior to conception. A maternity need will be shared at 100% after the IUA has been met and has a maximum shareable amount of $250,000.
Feel free to learn more at The Top HealthShare’s Maternity Benefits (Comparison Guide).
Turnaround Time for Paying Medical Bills
OneShare Health: 21 days
Samaritan Ministries: 60-90 days
Considerations
OneShare Health: After members pay their Individual Sharing Amount (ISA), which can be $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000, the HealthShare has limits on how much they would share. For example, a hospitalization can cost a member their Individual Sharing Amount plus 20% to 40% of the medical bills, depending on which program you choose. For larger unexpected medical expenses, this can add up quickly for their members.
Maximum Limit Per Incident: $150,000 / $250,000 / $500,000 (depending on which program you choose)
Lifetime Sharing Maximum: $300,000 / $500,000 / $1,000,000 (depending on which program you choose)
Samaritan Ministries: Samaritan Classic has a $250,000 maximum limit per medical need and the Samaritan Basic has a $236,500 maximum limit per medical need. If you want additional sharing available, you can pay extra to join the Save to Share™ program. In addition to the annual administrative share, each participating household must set aside funds that will be dedicated for use in the program. As of March 2021, the current annual household amount required to be set aside is $133 for one person, $266 for a two-person membership and single-parent family, and $399 for a three or more person family.
Which Health Share Plan Should You Join?
Choosing a Health Share plan is a very personal decision. Feel free to check out OneShare Health Reviews and Samaritan Ministries 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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