MSNBC.com posts piece on health care sharing

MSNBC.com reporter JoNel Aleccia published a piece on health care sharing ministries today, with a heavy emphasis on Samaritan Ministries International. JoNel’s story focused on members Mike and Mary Suitter of Hayden, Idaho.

HAYDEN, Idaho—Mary Suitter is sporting fresh bandages on her face and arm, markers of two new biopsies that may reveal yet another bout with melanoma.
Though she lacks conventional health insurance, the 57-year-old mother of four says she isn’t worried about the costs of a recurrence of her 2006 diagnosis with the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Suitter — and her husband, Mike, a handyman and builder — are members of a health care sharing ministry, a religious co-op whose participants agree to support each other — and to pay each others’ medical bills.

Also quoted were Tracy Kamprath of Texas:

Tracy Kamprath, 49, of Chappel Hill, Texas, admits she had doubts about the program when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years ago.
“We weren’t sure, but we joined in faith,” said Kamprath, a former Christian school teacher whose family had no other option for health insurance when they signed up two years before she became ill.
The bill for her successful treatment topped $240,000, but with discounts for paying cash and some negotiations with providers, the Kampraths were able to reduce it to $60,000, which was covered by dozens of Samaritan members.
“Every penny was paid for,” she said.

and Samaritan VP James Lansberry:

The federal exemption to mandatory insurance may fuel even more interest in the health care sharing ministries. Samaritan is already enrolling 200 new members a month, Lansberry says, numbers that may grow as the 2014 deadline for mandatory insurance looms.

Thanks to the Suitters and Tracy Kamprath for agreeing to be interviewed and for representing Samaritan members.