Why SMI? Financial freedom, glorifying God

The Alexanders joined Samaritan Ministries while Tim had a successful job with “good” insurance. After realizing that what they wanted out of health care was not possible with their company insurance, and that their monthly family premium was more expensive than the Samaritan family share, they chose Samaritan. Joy says that Samaritan Ministries demonstrates that “the family of God does things in a superior way—not only better than the government, but even better than the private sector.”

An important aspect in the Alexander’s health care criteria is to channel their money only to places where it will glorify God. Samaritan allows them to “follow their money,” to know where it goes, and what it accomplishes. As a result of sending monthly shares, the Alexander’s have developed dear friends all over the country. Being a Samaritan member also helped to provide the financial freedom needed for Tim to step out of his job and begin working at home with his family. Tim says that “the Samaritan idea is a shining example of what can be if people live according to the Word of God.”

Throughout the 14 years they have been members, Joy says that Samaritan “has gone beyond, has taken care of our needs so well.” One particular incident stands out in her mind. She had consulted a noted fertility specialist to determine the cause of her repeated miscarriages, and was told that most insurance companies would not cover the testing the doctor wanted to do. Joy explained that, as a member of Samaritan Ministries, she would ask her fellow Christians what they thought. “Samaritan wrote back that they were as interested in and in as much support of finding out why I was having repeated miscarriages, as I was. They wanted me to have whatever tests would help to determine the cause. And to me, that spoke volumes. The world’s insurance says, ‘No, no, no, this we can’t do, and this we can’t,’ but through the Samaritan administration, our brothers and sisters all said, ‘Yes, you may have the testing.’”

Diligence in negotiating bills is significant to the Alexanders, a vital part of their membership. Joy says that “even though it’s humbling to negotiate a bill, I’m doing it for all my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I think of it, not as a savings to our family, but for all the Samaritan families struggling to pay their bills and to make the money stretch. And that humbling is worth it if families all around the country save money.”

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