▶ Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society with a 30-Year History: Ministry of Sharing Medical Expenses
Founded in the Chicago area in 1996, the Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society (CMM, President Park Do-won) is a “medical expense sharing ministry” in which Korean Christians and pastors share the burden of medical costs by contributing small amounts to one another to alleviate financial worries. With the implementation of Obamacare in 2014, which made health insurance mandatory, membership began to surge. CMM’s cumulative membership has surpassed 60,000, and with branches in four regions across the country, it currently has approximately 25,000 active members.
Matthew Lee, CMM Director, and Kim Jun-beom, Eastern Regional Branch Manager, who visited our newspaper on the 16th, “Many people confuse medical mutual aid societies with health insurance, but CMM is not health insurance; it is a ministry where members share medical expenses with one another,” they said. “Since membership is based on voluntary participation rather than a contract, members can join or withdraw at any time. There are no designated doctors or hospitals, so members are free to choose their medical providers and can receive medical services both in Korea and overseas.”
Director Lee said, “Although there are several similar organizations these days, CMM is the only Korean-American organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a ‘Healthcare Sharing Ministry.’”
The “Healthcare Sharing Ministry” began in the 1950s when the children of American missionaries pooled their money to help cover the medical expenses of overseas missionaries; it spread on a large scale starting in the 1980s through the ministry organization “Christian Healthcare Ministry” (CHM).
It is reported that within the Korean-American community, the Logos Mission organized the Christian Medical Mutual Aid Society in 1996 and has since covered medical expenses totaling $200 million. Director Lee stated, “Although we provide approximately $10 million in medical assistance each year, we have not raised monthly dues even once since 2002,” adding, “This is something that would be unimaginable with standard insurance.”
CMM’s monthly premiums range from $40 to $175 for individuals, $80 to $325 for couples, and $120 to $425 for families with children (regardless of the number of children). Coverage is up to $150,000 per illness, and even if medical expenses exceed $150,000, additional coverage of up to $1 million is available depending on the length of enrollment.
For inquiries, visit cmmlogos.org, call (917) 535-1144 or (917) 500-1330, or contact Kim Jun-beom, Eastern Regional Director.
<유제원 기자> 한국일보(워싱턴DC)
