Self Pay explained
Some people find it a disadvantage with CHM, that you have to negotiate
your own discount.
It turns out that this is not a hassle at all:
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Tell the doctor's office / facility that you are a "self-pay patient".
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Many offices have a self-pay discount policy already in place
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Tell them you are a member of a Christian Organization who will help pay with the bills
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Ask them if they offer any self-pay discount. As the doctor/medical facility doesn't have to submit a bill to the insurance they are usually glad to do it. In most cases self-pay discounts are already setup in most offices.
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Most doctors / facilities already have a self-pay amount program setup
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Setup a payment plan for now until you receive the check from CHM
In 2018 when I had to go to the ER for a kidney stone, I told them I was self-pay. They said their self-pay amount is $450.00 for the hospital part. Later I got a separate bill from the doctor at the ER and a bill for the CAT-SCAN. I called the medical facility who sent me the bill and explained I was self-pay. Again they already had self-pay discount policy in place which reduced my bills in half.
The total out of pocket expenses added up to nearly $1,300 which I submitted online to Christian Healthcare Ministries (total bills added up to over $6,000, but after self pay discount it was around $1,300).
Since I have the Gold plan and my total bills were over $500, my out of pocket expenses turned out to be $0.00! I received my check from Christian Healthcare about 2 months later for the full amount of around $1,300)
I had to setup payment plans until I received the check (all expenses paid) from Christian Healthcare Ministries.
Christian Healthcare reimbursed me everything for
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ER visit
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ER doctor
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CAT-SCAN
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Lab work
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Medicine given at the ER
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Medication prescribed for pain when I got home
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Follow up visit with the urologist
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X-RAY prescribed by the urologist
There was nothing left unpaid by CHM. They are simply an
awesome ministry!
PLEASE NOTE: In 2023 there is a personal responsibility of $1,000 for the year with the Gold plan.