Two More Ministries Find Sanctuary With Samaritan

Online, April 1, 2010 (Newswire.com) - PEORIA, IL--Two more Christian organizations have found a sanctuary from an increasingly hostile-and expensive-health care environment.

As the nation bitterly debated government-run health care in recent months and health insurance costs continued to rise, American Vision and Creation Ministries International-US joined Samaritan Ministries International, a health care sharing organization with more than 14,400 member households.

The staffs of AV and CMI-US will receive assistance for their medical expenses directly from fellow believers. In turn, they will help to meet other members' medical needs.

By joining Samaritan, AV and CMI-US are able to save money on providing for their staff members' health care needs. American Vision, for example, cut the cost of its health care benefits for staff by 50 percent while at the same time actually improving those benefits, according to Brandon Vallorani, executive vice president of the ministry.

The cost savings also was one of the main reasons that Creation Ministries joined Samaritan, according to CEO Gary Bates. When CMI-US set up its new American offices by bringing staff from its home base of Australia, Gary was "shocked" by the high cost of health insurance here.

"I was very concerned for our staff, who already work sacrificially for the ministry, that they wouldn't have adequate health care for themselves and their families," Gary said. "One of the first things I did when I came here was say, 'This can't go on, it'll sink us.' In effect, health care costs would have driven us under."

After looking at self-funded plans and other options, CMI-US decided to go with Samaritan.

"We're more than happy to endorse what Samaritan does, and hope others do the same," Gary added.

Christians also can find shelter in Samaritan from paying for the consequences of unbiblical lifestyles, something all secular insurance companies do. Samaritan doesn't share expenses for abortion, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, or sexually transmitted diseases, for example. That was another reason American Vision joined Samaritan.

"We believe that the Bible mandates Christians to exercise servanthood dominion in every area of life," Vallorani said. "SMI is doing just that in the area of health care and God is clearly blessing it. The Samaritan program empowers Christians to make a real difference in each other's lives and provides a Christ-like example to non-Christians. We strongly endorse Samaritan Ministries."

The monthly family share for the basic program as of April 2010 is $285, only $120 for a single membership. In addition, discounts are available for seniors, students and people 25 years old and under.

Samaritan Ministries is a health care needs-sharing organization founded in 1994. It includes more than 14,400 member households who live in all 50 states and around the world. For more information about call 1-877-764-2426, send e-mail to mikemiller@smchcn.net, or view www.samaritanministries.
org. We can also be found on Twitter (SamaritanMin) and Facebook (Samaritan Ministries).

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For interviews, contact Mike Miller at (877)764-2426, Ext. 142, mikemiller@smchcn.net; or John Creath at (888) 726-4276, jcreath@smchcn.net.