Medical Options

Our platform individualizes the health insurance shopping experience and empowers you to take ownership of the plan that's best for your family. We help you access marketplace plans, term medical plans, sharing programs, medicaid, and medicare. We can also help you supplement your medical plan or program with supplemental insurance options as well.

Marketplace Plans

The marketplace is a service that helps people shop for and enroll in affordable health insurance. The federal government operates the Marketplace, available at HealthCare.gov, for most states. Some states run their own Marketplaces.

The Health Insurance Marketplace (also known as the “Marketplace” or “exchange”) provides health plan shopping and enrollment services through websites, call centers, and in-person help.

When you apply for individual and family coverage through the Marketplace, you’ll provide income and household information. You’ll find out if you qualify for:

• Premium tax credits and other savings that make insurance more affordable
• Coverage through the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in your state

Term Medical Plans

Term medical plans have a limited duration, typically several months to a year. These plans are geared toward people who need temporary medical insurance to bridge the gap between longer term plans. For instance, people who are switching employers, starting graduate school, or young adults who have become ineligible for coverage under their parents' plans and are searching for their own insurance might use a short-term insurance plan until obtaining a more permanent solution.

Term health insurance plans are typically less expensive than traditional plans, but do not cover pre-existing conditions. This can cause problems for people who acquire a longer term illness, since the term plan is completely terminated at the end of the coverage period. Term plans are not considered "adequate coverage" under the Affordable Care Act, however as of 2019, they are not subject to the tax penalties of being uninsured.

The length of term plans was extended to up to 365 days in most states, lifting a prior 3-month term limit.

Starting in 2019 consumers will be able to purchase term plans which are renewable for up to 3 years in some states.

Short-term, limited-duration health care plans are not available for purchase on HealthCare.gov or state operated health insurance marketplaces. They are not required to cover everything that Marketplace plans require, preventative treatments, or pre-existing conditions. They are not eligible for federal financial aid but the monthly healthcare premiums may be less expensive.

Sharing Programs

Medi-Share is a nonprofit, healthcare sharing ministry that helps Christians get quality health care, save money, and connect with an innovative sharing community that lifts them up in prayer. Essentially, members share in one another’s eligible medical bills by their monthly share [similar to a premium] which is deposited into an online sharing account. When a member has a medical need, Medi-Share facilitates “sharing” by transferring funds between those member accounts and sending payments to the provider for eligible medical bills.

Although it is not legally considered insurance, Medi-Share feels and functions similarly to insurance in that members have an ID card, Annual Household Portion [like a deductible, per family not per person], Provider Fees [like a down payment for services] paid at the time of visits and Medi-Share directly managing medical bills on your behalf.

Medi-Share Perks

• $0 Cost/FREE 24/7 Telehealth Services
• $0 Cost/FREE UnlimitedTeleCounseling Services
• Annual Physical with 2 Limited Labs (HbA1c & Lipid Panel)
• Christian Community
• Dental & Vision Discounts
• Encouragement & Prayer Support
• No Bill too Large (over $4 Billion shared since 1993)
• No Caps, No Annual or Lifetime Limits, No Requalification for Membership
• Affordable Monthly Shares (similar to premiums)
  • Nationwide PPO Network (900,000+ health care providers across America)
  • Several Options (3k, 6k, 9k, 12k)

Medi-Share Considerations

• Pre-existing Conditions Not Shared for First 36 Months
• Limited Sharing of Pre-existing Conditions after First 36 Months
• Qualifications to join

Medicare

Medicare is a national health insurance program. It started in 1966 under the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is now administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It's health insurance for Americans that are age 65 and older. Younger people with some disability statuses, people with end stage renal disease and those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) are eligible for Medicare.

It covers about half of healthcare expenses for those enrolled and is funded by a combination of a payroll taxes, beneficiary premiums and surtaxes from beneficiaries, co-pays and deductibles, and the U.S. Treasury.

Medicare has Four Parts

• Part A - Hospital, skilled nursing, and hospice services.
• Part B - Outpatient services, outpatient hospital charges, most provider office visits even if the office is "in a hospital", and most professionally administered prescription drugs. 
• Part C - An alternative called Managed Medicare which allows patients to choose health plans with at least the same service coverage as Parts A and B, often the benefits of Part D, below.
• Part D - Self-administered prescription drugs.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. It also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and personal care services.

Medicaid is a plan typically administered by an insurance company (Anthem in Indiana, Kaiser in California, etc.) that is funded by the government. This funding reduces member’s premiums and out of pocket medical expenses. 

Medicaid provides a broad level of health insurance coverage, including doctor visits, hospital expenses, nursing home care, home health care, and the like. Medicaid also covers long-term care costs, both in a nursing home and at-home care. Medicare does not provide this coverage.

You may qualify for free or low-cost care through Medicaid based on income and family size. In all states, Medicaid provides health coverage for some low-income individuals, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

CHIP

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children. CHIP was designed as a federal-state partnership similar to Medicaid; programs are run by the individual states according to requirements set by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.