O.T. Anybody Have Experience With Any Health Sharing Orgs?

[Slartybartfast]

I am in sort of a pickle. I'm 61, and after working for the same company for 30 years, was laid off twice in four years. My employer was acquired by another company which immediately re-prioritized projects. Mine was cut. And so was I. A year later, I was re-hired in another position within the company, but the damage done by the failure of the acquiror to comprehend the business they had bought into drove the company's stock price into the dirt.** Last Spring I was laid off again, along with all of my coworkers.

I'm currently on COBRA in$urance and need to find an alternative by September. Closing in on 62, I'm only a few years away from being able to qualify for Medicare, and since I'm generally healthy, I'm wondering about one of the several healthcare sharing organizations. Liberty, Medishare, CHI, Samaritan, etc. I'm onboard with their core values and would like to believe that they are a viable alternative to whatever else there is out there. But I can't find anyone who uses them.

I wonder whether anyone has any experience using any of the health sharing ministry organizations. I hear radio ads for several all the time, and I've reviewed their information, but I don't know anyone who actually uses them.


**But not before I sold it all just before the acquisition!

[Goofproof]

I am in sort of a pickle. I'm 61, and after working for the same company for 30 years, was laid off twice in four years. My employer was acquired by another company which immediately re-prioritized projects. Mine was cut. And so was I. A year later, I was re-hired in another position within the company, but the damage done by the failure of the acquiror to comprehend the business they had bought into drove the company's stock price into the dirt.** Last Spring I was laid off again, along with all of my coworkers.

I'm currently on COBRA in$urance and need to find an alternative by September. Closing in on 62, I'm only a few years away from being able to qualify for Medicare, and since I'm generally healthy, I'm wondering about one of the several healthcare sharing organizations. Liberty, Medishare, CHI, Samaritan, etc. I'm onboard with their core values and would like to believe that they are a viable alternative to whatever else there is out there. But I can't find anyone who uses them.

I wonder whether anyone has any experience using any of the health sharing ministry organizations. I hear radio ads for several all the time, and I've reviewed their information, but I don't know anyone who actually uses them.


**But not before I sold it all just before the acquisition!

Cobra is only going to suck you dry quickly, I had to do without, and weather the storm. Good luck, I weathered the Storm, fate could have finished me off cost wise, COBRA, A bigger joke than Obummer care. Jim

[Slartybartfast]

I appreciate that, but I needed to cover my wife who has had five surgeries since the beginning of the year. We'd already paid our out of picket maximum when I became eligible for COBRA, so until she goes on Medicare for Disability, COBRA represents a better deal than if I went elsewhere and had to start a new out of pocket. We've run the numbers and the advantage is to stay with COBRA until she goes on Medicare.

[Goofproof]

I appreciate that, but I needed to cover my wife who has had five surgeries since the beginning of the year. We'd already paid our out of picket maximum when I became eligible for COBRA, so until she goes on Medicare for Disability, COBRA represents a better deal than if I went elsewhere and had to start a new out of pocket. We've run the numbers and the advantage is to stay with COBRA until she goes on Medicare.

My INS had no deduct, just copays, so when it ended, My wifes bills while out of sight, were lower than COBRA, I paid hers, and used V.A. to keep me alive. Out of work, for 5 years, but in my job, smart people plan for it,5 years exceeded even my planning. Jim

[chunkyfrog]

Cobra will only drain your resources.
Some seek marginal employment in order to get subsidized insurance.
A few places offer health coverage--Starbucks comes to mind.

[Goofproof]

Cobra will only drain your resources.
Some seek marginal employment in order to get subsidized insurance.
A few places offer health coverage--Starbucks comes to mind.

Ha! HA!!, Just what I did went to work for the City Parks Service as a Mechanic 1/4 pay, no benefits, Basically "Community Service", that and savings, selling off my stuff, kept the Wolfe from the door. Jim

[chunkyfrog]

The jobs with benefits deserve the best applicants. The others get the desperate--and make them more so.

[Slartybartfast]

No argument here. COBRA sucks. As part of my severance package, company paid COBRA premiums until July. At at this point, it's paying 100% of my wife's medical costs, and next month she has a total knee replacement. As soon as that's done, she'll go on Medicare and I'll transfer to some other insurance. My question is WHAT insurance?

For 35 years I've always worked for big pharmaceutical corporations and have had excellent medical insurance at low cost to me. Now I'm facing a gap of a few years and need something else. I was hoping someone might have experience with one of the health sharing organizations like Liberty, Medishare, CHM, etc.

[zoocrewphoto]

No argument here. COBRA sucks. As part of my severance package, company paid COBRA premiums until July. At at this point, it's paying 100% of my wife's medical costs, and next month she has a total knee replacement. As soon as that's done, she'll go on Medicare and I'll transfer to some other insurance. My question is WHAT insurance?

For 35 years I've always worked for big pharmaceutical corporations and have had excellent medical insurance at low cost to me. Now I'm facing a gap of a few years and need something else. I was hoping someone might have experience with one of the health sharing organizations like Liberty, Medishare, CHM, etc.

I don't know anybody with the sharing systems. Do you currently work? Can you?

A lot of grocery stores give decent benefits with part time work. Usually starts after 2-3 months. My plan isn't as good as it used to be (is anybody's these days?), but after my deductible (I think $500 right now), I get 85% coverage. And my prescription coverage is really good. I just picked up a 3 month supply for 5 medications (all generics), and it was only $34. I am a long time employee, so I have a PPO plan with premiums of $36 a month for a single person. Newer employees have a slightly lower premium with an HMO plan. And then can later upgrade to the PPO plan, but their premium would be a tad higher than mine. Family coverage is a little more too. Minimum hours of 60 a month for single and 80 per month for family. So, you can work 15 hours a week and have coverage.

We have one lady who works 2 days a week, just so that she can keep her coverage. And they are really good about making sure that employees don't go below the minimum.

[InnerGlow]

My husband was in a similar situation a few years back, only he isn't healthy and so he had to take out an individual policy (before Obamacare) that was very expensive.

I don't personally use a health sharing ministry, however I thought you might be interested in this article from some bloggers I'm familiar with: https://clubthrifty.com/healthcare-sharing-ministries/. They use Liberty and have for the past four years (https://clubthrifty.com/liberty-healthshare-review/). Hope that helps!

[Slartybartfast]

Thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for. A real live person who has actually signed up for, and used, a healthsharing ministry. I'll spend some more time online.

[bombayone]

Please ensure that the health share plan is a valid Christian organization and that you share their values.