The Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society is being introduced in New York. An informational session on the Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society—which offers valuable benefits to uninsured church members and pastors—will be held on Tuesday, October 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Queens Central Presbyterian Church (Pastor An Chang-ui). Two representatives from the organization, who serve the Korean-American church community in Chicago, will visit New York to participate in the session. The Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society is a nonprofit missionary organization dedicated to relief work. Members pay a set monthly dues (designated offering), and when a member requires medical expenses, the society provides financial assistance in accordance with its bylaws. Since its inception in Chicago in 1996, the organization has provided over $5 million in medical assistance to the Korean-American church community.
Believers in Jesus Christ (including pastors, missionaries, and laypeople) who do not consume alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, do not engage in same-sex relationships, and live according to the teachings of the Bible—and who are 64 years of age or younger—are eligible for membership. Hospitalization and surgical expenses are covered under all programs, while costs for doctor visits, outpatient tests, and prescription drugs are covered only under the Gold or Gold Plus programs.
There are four programs: ▲ the Gold Plus Program, ▲ the 1st (Gold) Program, ▲ the 2nd (Silver) Program, and ▲ the 3rd (Bronze) Program, each with different membership fees and benefits.
Q: If I enroll as a family, does that include my parents and all my children?
A: No. For the purposes of this plan, “family” refers only to biological children under the age of 18. Children between the ages of 19 and 22 are included if they are enrolled in school and taking at least 5 credits. However, children aged 23 or older cannot be included as dependents, even if they are enrolled in school, and must enroll separately.
Q: Is a physical examination required to enroll, and can people with existing medical conditions become members and receive medical expense assistance?
A: No physical examination is required for enrollment. (We may request recent medical records from those wishing to enroll.) People with existing medical conditions can become members; however, medical expense assistance is not provided for those conditions or symptoms. Medical expense assistance is limited to illnesses that arise after enrollment. Regarding pre-existing conditions, if you have a doctor’s certificate confirming that the condition has been completely cured, and you have shown no symptoms of that condition for one year afterward—during which time you did not undergo treatment or testing and did not take any medication—and the condition recurs one year later, it will be considered a new illness.
Q: When can I start receiving medical expense coverage after becoming a member?
A: You can receive coverage at any time for illnesses that occur after enrollment. However, surgery costs incurred within 3 months of enrollment are not covered. Note that emergency surgery resulting from an accident is covered (excluding traffic accidents).
Q: The monthly dues for the Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society are lower than those for general health insurance. How is the organization operated?
A: All members of the Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society are healthy, sincere Christians who abstain from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and homosexuality. It is generally believed that many illnesses stem from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and promiscuous sexual behavior. Thankfully, members’ medical expenses are currently covered by the set membership fees, and to ensure smooth financial support, membership fees are reassessed about once or twice a year following evaluation meetings. Medical expenses are supported by the voluntary contributions (membership fees) sent each month, and members pray monthly for those who need assistance.
Q: What are the differences between the Gold Plus, Program 1 (Gold), Program 2 (Silver), and Program 3 (Bronze) plans?
A: The main differences are in the monthly premium, the out-of-pocket costs, and the benefits provided. Currently, the monthly fee for the Program 1 (Gold) is $135 per person. If the total medical expenses (outpatient visit fees, various tests and X-rays, prescription drug costs, etc.) for a single medical condition exceed $500, the amount exceeding that threshold is covered up to $125,000. Additionally, a card is provided that offers discounts on prescription drugs. The Gold Plus program costs $175 per person ($325 for two people, $425 for three or more), and it also covers up to two annual checkups. However, the Second (Silver) and Third (Bronze) programs only cover medical expenses incurred during hospitalization (including the emergency room) or surgery. Outpatient treatment, diagnostic tests, and prescription drugs are not covered. The monthly premium is $80 per person, and the deductible is $1,000 (Silver). The third program is identical to the second (Silver) program, but the monthly premium is $40 per person, the deductible is $5,000 (Bronze), and coverage is provided up to $125,000 per condition.
Q: What kind of coverage is available for pregnant women?
A: Starting in February 2005, if you enroll in the Gold Plus plan for two or more people and give birth one year or more after enrollment, hospital expenses—including prenatal and postnatal medical costs—are covered up to $125,000, with a $500 deductible. For Programs 1, 2, and 3, if childbirth occurs 300 days or more after becoming a full member, only the childbirth benefit equal to the total number of months of membership multiplied by the applicable unit (1 person, 2 people, or 3 or more people) is covered, with out-of-pocket costs of $500, $1,000, and $5,000, respectively.
Q: What should I do if my medical bills exceed $125,000?
A: There is a special program called Brothers Keeper designed for situations like this. The Brothers Keeper program is designed to help cover medical expenses exceeding $125,000 resulting from a single illness; Brothers Keeper members share the cost of the expenses that exceed this limit. Once you enroll in this program, coverage increases by $100,000 each year, up to a total of $1 million. The annual membership fee is $40 per family.
Q: What happens if we receive a large number of requests for medical expense assistance at once and the fund runs short?
A: We would cover the shortfall by raising membership dues for all members. However, since the current program sets a limit on the amount of medical expenses covered per condition, there is no need for such concern—unless, of course, an epidemic or similar outbreak were to spread simultaneously across the entire United States.
Q: Do you provide a guarantee regarding medical expense assistance?
A: As a nonprofit organization, we do not offer a guarantee. However, all medical expenses are covered within the limits set by our bylaws. This is because this ministry is supported by voluntary donations from our members.
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