Christian Healthcare Ministries

Founded in 1981, Christian Healthcare Ministries (chm) is the original health care sharing ministry for christians. Chm is a nonprofit voluntary cost-sharing ministry through which participating christians pay each other's medical bills. Chm is based on galatians 6:2 and acts 2 and 4. Galatians 6:2 states, "bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of christ." Acts 2:44-45 states, and all that believed were together and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." Acts 4:32 states, and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." Chm is based on these biblical teachings that the family of god comes together and bears each other's burdens. Ministry members put these teachings into practice by voluntarily contributing their resources to share (pay) each other's medical bills so that no one is in need. Chm members have accomplished this task by satisfying more than $8.7 billion in medical bills in the last 41 years. In 2022, members sent $671,422,895 for medical bills to other members.membership in Christian Healthcare Ministries (chm) is voluntary and cannot be denied based on age, weight, health history, or geographic location. Members complete and sign an application on which they attest that participating adults are christians living by biblical principles, attend group worship regularly (health permitting), follow scriptural teaching with regard to alcohol, and do not use tobacco or drugs illegally. At the end of 2022, the total number of memberships was over 176,000 Christian households serving over 406,000 individuals.chm, an eligible option for individuals under the u.s. Patient protection and affordable care act (ppaca), is an affordable health care solution for Christian families. In 2022, family program costs range from $255 - $615 per month. Participants are never denied or dropped from membership for poor health or costly medical bills. Chm's regular programs (gold, silver, and bronze) offer assistance up to $125,000 per illness. Chm also has an optional (but highly recommended) program called brother's keeper. Brother's keeper offers unlimited cost sharing provision for gold members and an additional $100,000 per year (up to $1 million per illness) for silver and bronze members.chm also has programs for preexisting conditions. One example is the prayer page, which is published in the monthly chm magazine and is a list of various members' needs from pre-existing conditions (these bills do not qualify for sharing through the regular chm program). Prayer page needs are satisfied by members' donations (over and above the monthly financial gift amount required for membership). Chm also allocates a portion of the monthly gift receipts to aid in sharing prayer page needs. In 2022, chm members applied $4,249,303 toward prayer page needs. Chm sets funds aside to aid members who fall into financial hardship and need help paying their monthly financial gift amount. Chm exists to serve the body of christ and therefore not abandon members in their time of need. Use of these funds is approved on a case by case basis and funds are credited to the appropriate membership accounts according to chm policy and approval. Another key function of chm is supporting members spiritually and through prayer. Members and prospective members call, write, or post prayer requests and praise reports on the chm social media platforms. Staff members communicate all prayer requests via sharepoint to other staff members and pray over the requests during the week upon receipt. These requests are prayed for again during the weekly chapel service. During 2022, chm held weekly chapel services in person and virtually and ministered from the bible to the staff of chm. Prayer requests also are communicated to chm members across the country by way of an insert sent with monthly mailings if the member with the request gives permission for chm to do so.