What is Christian Healthcare Ministries?
Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) is a Bible-based, voluntary medical cost-sharing ministry. In the past 20 years, CHM members have shared more than $500 million in medical costs.
Since 1998 CHM (formerly Christian Brotherhood Newsletter) has worked with more than 40,000 health care providers. CHM members may receive treatment from any AMA approved facility and/or physician provided the treatment is within CHM Guidelines.
How does my patient’s participation in CHM affect his or her ability to pay?
Members are self-pay patients who should receive consideration for assistance programs and bill reductions. Many members are missionaries, ministers, Christian educators, owners of small businesses, or are involved in other ministries.
Christian Healthcare Ministries is secondary to other potential payment sources, after which bills are presented for sharing to the CHM membership. Authorization for medical bill sharing is determined by CHM Guidelines. Provider references are available. Please bill patients directly.
What steps will my patient take to meet his or her medical bills? What kinds of questions can I expect to hear?
We encourage our participant—your patient—to follow these steps:
• Make sure providers understand that the patient is self-pay and should be billed directly
• If treatment requires several services, ask for a “bundle” rate
• Pre-negotiate before any procedure
• Ask providers if there are any financial assistance programs available for self-pay patients
• Set up an interim payment schedule to demonstrate the patient’s desire and ability to pay
• Ask for a bill reduction (simply the same consideration that is given to insurance companies). The larger the bill reduction, the faster the patient and CHM can work together to pay the bill.
For more information:
Christian Healthcare Ministries
127 Hazelwood Ave., Barberton, OH 44203
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time)
1-800-791-6225 (ask for Reductions department)
reductions@chministries.org
What people say about CHM
The concept behind CHM became much clearer when I experienced a medical situation and bills beyond my ability to handle. God used the Body of Christ working through this ministry to come through for me. A difficult situation became a livable one. -Chris Bougie, Hebron, IN; $6,781 need met
My husband used to be skeptical that Christian Healthcare Ministries would help with any of our medical bills. I praise God that when the check arrived from CHM for our hospital bill, his smile was a mile wide! We are both very thankful because the medical situation was a great hardship and we did not have any other means of assistance in taking care of our bills. -Linda Sheckells, English, IN; $49,361 need met