Joining Samaritan was ‘no-brainer’ for Daniel Ryken

Once Daniel Ryken understood how Samaritan Ministries works, it was a “no-brainer” for him and his family to join.

Just learning the difference between health care sharing and health insurance was enough for him after his wife gave birth to their little girl, Sara, now 5. At that time, they were still using health insurance and in the midst of changing companies.

Things got “rough.”

The health care provider filed the Rykens’ maternity claim with the family’s old insurance company. Six slow-moving months later, that insurance company told the hospital and doctors they wouldn’t be paid because the Rykens no longer had insurance through them.

“By that time, it was too late for them to file with the correct insurance company,” Daniel says.

The Rykens paid the bill out-of-pocket.

A short time later, when Daniel and Sheri learned about Samaritan, they joined. Not just because of their insurance experience, but because of their beliefs.

“This is people living out their faith and doing what the Bible tells us to do in an active way,” he says. “It could be a difficult change when somebody’s just been brought up and taught that you’ve got to have insurance to protect yourselves. It can be a hard change, but then I think that’s part of what faith is, right?”

The Rykens have had a maternity need and some other minor needs since they joined.

“It’s just been a blessing to have others participate in our needs and to be able to participate in others’ needs and understand what God’s doing in the community and in the Body,” Daniel says.