Medical Cost Sharing: A Viable Alternative to Traditional Healthcare

With the rising costs of health insurance, people are looking for alternatives. Nobody wants to pay more for less, yet that is what is happening in the insurance market today: Coverage is going down as cost is going up. Trinity HealthShares medical cost sharing programs provide affordable and effective alternatives for those who believe in individual responsibility, healthy living, and caring for one another.

Trinity HealthShare and traditional insurance are not the same: Trinity HealthShare is a Health Care Sharing Ministry (HCSM) and not traditional health insurance. With traditional health insurance, the insured are charged for copays and deductibles and patient responsibility amounts besides the premiums that are sent into the insurance agency. Those who strive to take care of their bodies end up paying to cover those who dont.

Traditional Health Insurance

• Premiums Every month, members pay a fee to insurance companies for coverage.
  Deductibles Before the insurance pays any bills, the deductible must be met. Once its met, only a percentage of each bill is covered until the member reaches the maximum out-of-pocket. Some insurances have a separate prescription deductible.
• Copays Every time a member goes to the doctor, lab, specialist, hospital or picks up a prescription, he or she must pay a copay that does not go towards the deductible.
• Maximum out-of-pocket All expenses except for co-expenses add together to reach the members maximum out-of-pocket. Once it is reached, the insurance cost-shares 100%.

Trinity HealthShare HCSM

• Contributions Every month, members send their contributions (premiums) to Trinity HealthShare where theyre deposited into the members shareboxes, awaiting dispersal to a members medical bills.
  Member Shared Responsibility Amount (MSRA)
  Similar to a deductible in that it is a set amount that must be met before medical bills are paid, once the MSRA is met, the money from members shareboxes are used to cover eligible medical expenses.
• Co-expenses Every time a member goes to the doctor, specialist or hospital, a co-expense is paid.
• Maximum out-of-pocket All expenses except for co-expenses add together to reach the members maximum out-of-pocket amount. Once the maximum out-of-pocket amount is reached, Trinity HealthShare cost-shares 100%.
• Telemedicine Helping members eliminate expenses, individuals can see a U. S. board-certified doctor over the phone or via video chat at no expense. These doctors can make diagnoses, write prescriptions, and make referrals.

In addition to eliminating hidden costs, health care sharing ministries encourage wholesome living by requiring members to sign agreements stating they will maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid foods, behaviors or habits that produce sickness or disease in themselves or others. A healthy way of life translates into lower monthly contributions and lower medical costs for the membership as a whole. Higher MSRAs also help reduce monthly contributions, allowing members to set aside the savings to help pay the higher MSRA if they need to.

Trinity HealthShare is a HCSM and bases its principles of healthcare upon sharing one anothers burdens. With most medical cost sharing programs, individuals come together around a common religious or ethical belief, or both. Members must sign a statement of beliefs in order to join a HCSM.