Paying for prenatal healthcare and medical debts can be hard if you’re uninsured. Almost 46 million are without health insurance in the U.S. For uninsured pregnant women, the risks for problems are elevated if they decide to skip out on costly doctor’s office visits to try to reduce prenatal healthcare-related medical debts.
Faith-Based Healthcare Plans a “Blessing,” say Customers
The Christian Care Ministry Medi-Share is one of several faith-based healthcare plan providers that help customers pay for their medical debts. The program works by allowing customers who need to pay for prenatal healthcare, or general medical expenses, to share in their medical costs. The principle of a medical sharing program is based on the Bible’s definition of sharing one another’s needs.
Faith-Based Healthcare and Medical Sharing Programs Draw Criticism
The Christian Care Medi-Share program and its faith-based healthcare plan counterparts have drawn criticism from regulatory agencies that claim medical sharing programs are health insurance and should be regulated like health insurance plans. The faith-based healthcare plan for uninsured people has also come under fire for discrimination allegations. The Medi-Share healthcare plan only provides coverage for Christians. The faith-based healthcare plan doesn’t provide coverage for abortions, treatment for drug addiction or support for “any other unbiblical lifestyles.”
Stipulations of Christian Medical Sharing Programs
The Medi-Share healthcare plan doesn’t guarantee that medical bills will be paid. And the website doesn’t specify, but expectant mothers in need of ways to pay for prenatal healthcare presumably have to fall under their definition of living a faith-based lifestyle to qualify. Members who participate in Christian medical sharing programs say the healthcare plan saves them money and helps support their religious beliefs by helping others, too.
Learn more about paying for prenatal healthcare and resolving medical debts without health insurance.
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