Cash-pay discount
A cash-pay discount is a discount that providers may give patients who do not use insurance for their medical services. Please see the Guidelines, Section X.E.
Checklist
A checklist is provided by Samaritan Ministries to a member with a Need. It lists the names of members assigned to that Need and the Share amounts they will send.
Church Leader Verification (CLV)
Church Leader Verification (CLV) is the process Samaritan uses to confirm each member is maintaining accountability with a church or fellowship and is abiding by the standards of Christian behavior required to be a member of Samaritan Ministries. Please see the Guidelines, Section I.
Co-share
The co-share is the percentage of a Need’s eligible medical bills that is not shared after the initial unshareable amount (IUA) is applied. Please see the Guidelines, Section VI.A.7. See also maximum co-share.
Continuation/Membership Continuation
Membership continuation is the process Samaritan uses annually for each membership to confirm 1) members understand the Guidelines, 2) members maintain accountability, and 3) member agreements and information are up to date. Please see the Guidelines, Section I.J.
Dashboard
The Dashboard is the online tool Samaritan provides members to manage their Samaritan membership.
Health care sharing ministry (HCSM)
A health care sharing ministry (HCSM) is a non-profit entity comprised of members, organized specifically as a ministry to the Body of Christ by means of the sharing of financial medical burdens among the membership.
Initial unshareable amount (IUA)
The initial unshareable amount (IUA) is the initial amount of a Need that is not shared before any Shares are assigned to that Need. Please see the Guidelines, Sections VI.A.3. and VI.A.4.
Inactivation
Inactivation refers to the end of an individual’s or household’s participation in Samaritan Ministries membership.
Maximum co-share
The maximum co-share is the maximum cumulative unshareable amount from the co-share applied to a Need. Please see the Guidelines, Section VI.A.7. See also co-share.
Maximum shareable amount
The maximum shareable amount refers to the highest dollar amount that can be shared as part of a Need. The amount above the maximum shareable amount may be shared if a membership has Save to Share™. Please see the Guidelines, Section VI.A.6.
Medical release
A medical release is a form members sign annually granting Samaritan Ministries and its third-party services the ability to determine medical bill eligibility, engage in negotiation, and interact with medical providers. See the Guidelines, Section X.F.
Member
Members are people who participate in Samaritan Ministries, agreeing to abide by the Guidelines and all the responsibilities of membership. Please see the Guidelines, Section I.
Member Assistance Fund
The Member Assistance Fund was created to facilitate members’ gifts to one another when they give above and beyond their assigned giving. Samaritan Ministries administers the fund, which is used to help members with Special Prayer Needs, Sponsorship, relief from natural disasters, and other situations. Please see the Guidelines, Section V.
Membership number
The membership number is a unique identifier assigned to each membership.
Need
A Need is all eligible medical bills related to the same eligible medical condition or event. Please see the Guidelines, Section VI.A.1.
Physician Verification Form
A Physician Verification Form is submitted to a member’s licensed medical provider in order to verify when the member’s symptoms for a medical condition began.
Prayer Guide
The Prayer Guide is a resource Samaritan publishes each month for members, enabling them to regularly engage in prayer and intercession for prayer requests submitted to Samaritan, as well as prayer requests for the Persecuted Church.
Pre-existing condition
A pre-existing condition is a medical condition for which, prior to membership, the member experienced symptoms, or received treatment or diagnosis, or a reasonable person would have sought treatment or evaluation. The condition may no longer be considered pre-existing if certain requirements are met. Please see the Guidelines, Section VII.
Proration
Proration occurs when there are fewer Shares than medical bills in a particular month. Samaritan reduces (that is, prorates) the dollar amount that is shared for each medical bill in proportion to the Shares available, so that prorated bills that month are shared at the same reduced percentage. (Some exceptions apply.) Please see the Guidelines, Section VI.D.
Save to Share™
Save to Share is an optional add-on program for catastrophic Needs. Save to Share allows Needs to be shared above the maximum shareable amount. Please see the Guidelines, Save to Share I. Participation.
Share
A Share is the money one membership sends each month, either to another member or to the Samaritan office.
Share notification
A Share notification provides a member with the details of how much their assigned Share is for a certain month, to whom the member should send the Share, and what the receiving member’s medical Need is. The Share notification may also contain other information pertinent to a certain month.
Shareable
Shareable refers to a Need that meets the parameters set forth in the Samaritan Guidelines.
Special Prayer Need
A Special Prayer Need refers to a member’s medical expenses that are outside Guideline limits but are presented to the membership as a request for additional giving to that member beyond the regular monthly Share, much like a love offering. Please see the Guidelines, Section V.A.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship is a method of temporary financial assistance that may be available to members who are unable to pay the full amount of their monthly Share. Please see the Guidelines, Section V.C.
Start date
The start date is the date a membership with Samaritan Ministries officially begins.
Switch/Switching
Switching refers to a membership changing from one program to another program—Samaritan™ Basic to Samaritan™ Classic or vice versa. Please see the Guidelines, Section XIV.