Without some form of health care program, covering the cost of prescription drugs can be too much for many Americans to handle. This is especially true for those who require ongoing maintenance medication for a chronic ailment.
Fortunately, health sharing ministries provide members with a more affordable way to pay for medical care, including prescription drugs. An increasing number of Americans are opting for health sharing ministries over traditional health insurance. There are several health care sharing ministries that help their members to save money on medical care and prescription medication.
The question is, how does each individual ministry handle the cost of prescription drugs? Let’s take a look at some of the most well-known health sharing ministries in the US and compare how they handle the cost of prescription drugs.
UHSM
UHSM centers its approach around Christian health sharing and has partnered with the First Health PPO Network of healthcare practitioners and medical facilities across the US. This health sharing ministry offers many programs that include various levels of medical care cost sharing, including sharing for prescription medications.
Members of UHSM can save on prescription drugs through the partnership with CVS Caremark, which offers more than 68,000 locations across the country. UHSM has pre-negotiated prescription prices with CVS to reduce costs to members.
Liberty HealthShare
Liberty HealthShare is a Christian health sharing ministry that works with close to 30,000 providers across the US. Members are reimbursed for qualified medical costs based on guidelines as published for the exact programs chosen, including those for prescription medication.
The health care sharing ministry offers four pricing plans for individuals, couples, and families, each with a separate pricing structure.
Members of Liberty HealthShare have access to HealthShareRx, a prescription program that offers reduced prices and discounts on prescription medications.
OneShare Health
OneShare Health is a Christian health sharing ministry based in Texas. The ministry works with the First Health Provider Network, which includes medical practitioners and health care facilities across the nation. The ministry offers three membership tiers, and members are reimbursed for eligible health care costs incurred based on what each tier offers.
Discounts of anywhere from 15% to 80% on prescription medication are provided through Careington, a third-party network.
Christian Care Ministries
Also referred to as Medi-Share, Christian Care Ministries is a Christian medical cost sharing program with more than 400,000 members across the US.
Members have three pricing tiers from which to choose, and within each several pricing options are available. The health sharing ministry also offers a Senior Assist program that offers discounts to senior citizens if they have Medicare coverage.
New prescriptions are eligible for health sharing through Christian Care Ministries up to a maximum of six months, though there are a few drugs that are eligible for cost sharing for longer time periods if they are required for lifesaving purposes. Prescription drugs for pre-existing conditions are not eligible for cost sharing.
Christian Healthcare Ministries
Christian Healthcare Ministries is available both in the US and across the world. The health sharing ministry has been around since 1981.
Christian Healthcare Ministries does not work with one particular provider network. Instead, expenses must qualify for sharing within program guidelines.
There are three plans from which to choose, each with its own price and eligibility guidelines. Christian Healthcare Ministries also offers its “Brother’s Keeper” plan that deals with more expensive catastrophic medical bills.
Incident-related prescriptions are covered under the Gold level plan only. Pre-existing and maintenance prescriptions are not covered. Prescriptions for chronic medical conditions may be eligible only if there is a required change in medication or dosage.If you’re ready to become a member of a health sharing ministry to save on various medical costs, including prescription medications, get in touch with a representative from USHealthShare today to discuss your options and learn how to share the health.
