Less than three weeks after judge Thomas Wingate ordered Medi-Share to cease operations in the state of Kentucky, the Florida-based medical cost-sharing ministry is urging its 800 Kentucky clients to seek coverage through a competitor.
The competitor, Illinois-based Samaritan Ministries, bills itself as “a Biblical, non-insurance approach to health care needs.”
According to the Associated Press, Kentucky Department of Insurance spokeswoman Ronda Sloan says her agents “have checked into Samaritan Ministries and found that they meet all requirements to operate in Kentucky.”
As a registered nonprofit, Samaritan Ministries is not restricted from operating in any of the 50 states. However, on its frequently asked questions page, the organization explicitly states that it is “not licensed or registered by any insurance board or department.”
“We do not assess applicants’ health risks, because neither the ministry nor the members are assuming financial liability for any other member’s risk,” it states.
CT previously reported when a judge ordered Medi-Share to stop advertising in Kentucky in October.
