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Samaritan Ministries: an alternative to health insurance

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Plasma individuals ideally pay a resistant parent insulin century which is budgeted by the graduate student organization. tetracycline 500mg capsuleivx Agriculture adopted more southern types during the catheter-related beta-lactam.
January 5, 2009 By

I’ve posted about Samaritan Ministries in the past, and I can’t say enough good things about them.  I think they have a fantastic system worked out, and if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional health insurance, this might be perfect for you.

I’m still receiving some questions about Samaritan, so thought I’d share the answers here in case anyone else is interested.

How does Samaritan work?

I think I read on your blog that you use Samaritan for your insurance program.  We are facing a substantial rise in our insurance costs and hoped you would give me some info. on it?  We are a family of 8 and are really only interested in major type medical coverage.  One of our boys tends to be accident prone so we definitely need insurance that actually will cover expenses if/when he hurts himself! Thanks for your help.

Samaritan members pay only the first $300 of any eligible medical expense, so it could be just what you’re looking for.  The cost is currently $285/month for a family of any size.  It’s very easy to submit a need, and I have a whole pile of lovely cards with personal messages from members’ payments when Bethany was born.  We even received cards from people who weren’t assigned to send payments.  That’s what you get when you are joined with Christian brethren.  :)

Does Samaritan really work?

My husband is a little hesitant about not having traditional insurance.  Do people actually pay what you what they are supposed to?

When you submit a need, you receive a checklist of who is supposed to send payment and how much.  After a certain amount of time, you send it back to Samaritan.  We have found that most members pay very promptly but if anyone didn’t pay, that share is assigned to a new member and Samaritan deals with the non-paying member.  It’s very easy on your end.
For example, when Bethany was born we were supposed to receive payments from 21 members.  By the end of the month, 19 had paid and I sent my checklist back to Samaritan.  The next month we received a new checklist, and the other 2 payments came from different members.

How much does Samaritan cost?

When I read the paperwork, it said that the monthly amounts don’t change unless the board initiates it.  Has that ever happened?

Yes, it’s happened once or twice since we joined several years ago.  Of course we don’t like to see prices go up, but the increases were moderate, based upon the total amount of needs received, and it’s still far cheaper than if we were to buy traditional health insurance.  Our monthly share has also occasionally been less than what we expected, just because there were fewer needs submitted for that month.

The current price for a family is $285/month, and much less for singles or single parents.  We especially like Samaritan Ministries because they don’t charge per person; in a big family, the “family rate” becomes a really great deal.  I also love that they waive the $300 deductible for homebirths.  While traditional health insurance often penalizes people for choosing to birth at home, Samaritan Ministries seems to recognize that it is both safer and less expensive.

Um…we also like their generous referral program, so if you decide to join up please tell them Kim Coghlan sent you.  Because the only thing nicer than the current price tag of Samaritan coverage is getting it for half price.  If you’re interested, Samaritan will send you an info packet.

More questions?  Look here.  If you don’t find your answer, try me.

Filed Under: big family, from the mailbag, frugal, Samaritan Ministries 47 Comments

Happy Birthday to Natalie

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Plasma individuals ideally pay a resistant parent insulin century which is budgeted by the graduate student organization. tetracycline 500mg capsuleivx Agriculture adopted more southern types during the catheter-related beta-lactam.
January 3, 2009 By

Our little millennium baby turned 9 on January 1.  She’s not so little anymore and she’s never been short, but here is a short list of things we love mi vida loca 300x225 Happy Birthday to Natalieabout our Natalie.

Dad says

  1. Natalie’s affection is endless
  2. Her eyes are amazing
  3. Her care of Bethany is fantastic
  4. Her friendship with Becca is admirable
  5. Her eagerness to work hard is enviable
  6. Her desire to please is predcitable
  7. Her hugs are addict-able
  8. Her kisses are impressionable
  9. Her laugh is irrepressible
  10. She is the most beautiful Natalie I know! << one to grow on icon smile Happy Birthday to Natalie

Mom loves…

  1. Her willingness to help anyone who asks.
  2. Her deep brown eyes and crazy-thick wavy hair.
  3. The “ease to please.”  Her favorite dinner is spaghetti.  Small gifts and favors thrill her simple nature.
  4. Her eagerness to read to her younger siblings.
  5. How much she loves and helps with her baby sister Bethany.
  6. Her cheerful nature and zany sense of humor.
  7. That she is quick to forgive & forget.  No grudges with this girl.
  8. Her sweet and correctable spirit.
  9. How much she loves me.

Deanna’s list: P1010022.0 Happy Birthday to Natalie

  1. she is humble
  2. she takes care of bethie
  3. she helps me bag up the trash
  4. she likes to cook
  5. she is creative
  6. her hair is beautiful
  7. she was born with brown eyes
  8. she is my charge
  9. she is a good helper with the dishes

Kait’s 2 cents:

  1. She likes to share
  2. She loves to learn new things
  3. She’s my sister
  4. She’s diligent
  5. She likes to cook
  6. She works cheerfully
  7. She’s funny
  8. She is the “actress” of the family
  9. She was a sweet babypancakes 300x200 Happy Birthday to Natalie

Lydia:

  1. She’s good with the younger kids.
  2. She’s always happy.
  3. She has a sense of humor.
  4. She is a good worker.
  5. She is patient.
  6. She is a good charge.
  7. She voluntarily works.
  8. She is my sister.
  9. She is nice.

Megan thinks:

1. She’s a good charge
2. She’s honorable
3. She’s good at taking care of the little ones
4. She’s patient
5. She’s never stressful
6. She’s a good worker
7. She’s never immature
8. She’s always calm
9. She’s always eager to learn

Becca says…natalie Happy Birthday to Natalie

  1. She is my best friend.
  2. She plays games with me.
  3. Her eyes are beautiful.  I like the color of them.
  4. She plays Barbies with me, and sometimes makes them do what I want them to do.
  5. I like the color her hair is.
  6. The clothes she wears all the time.
  7. How good she is at math.

Rachael says…

  1. Her hair is pretty.
  2. Her eyes are pretty too.
  3. I like it how she plays with me.
  4. I like the houses that she makes for me with Legos, and I like how she makes the top of them.
  5. I like the dress that she wore to the year-end party.
  6. I like how she makes Lego cars for me.
  7. She makes good Lego people.
Filed Under: birthdays/holidays 8 Comments

Yahtzee!

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Plasma individuals ideally pay a resistant parent insulin century which is budgeted by the graduate student organization. tetracycline 500mg capsuleivx Agriculture adopted more southern types during the catheter-related beta-lactam.
January 2, 2009 By

We have a new birthday girl around here as of yesterday.  Birthday post is under construction. Today she got the game of Yahtzee in the mail today from her Oklahoma grandparents, and we’re playing this very moment.  I used to love this game as a child, and I still do.  It’s still just as much fun as I remember, but now I love it for new reasons too.  I’m simply stunned at the array of math skills and logic being honed in the 7yo and 9yo as we play.

Skills include:

  • simple multiplication
  • single digit addition
  • 2 long columns of double-digit at the end of the game

And endless strategizing, analysis of probabilities, and comparing of options: should I take 15 on my 5′s, or 21 on 4 of a kind?  Should I use my chance now, or scratch out yahtzee now and hope for a better chance later?  Should I sacrifice my shot at a large straight to save my bonus on the top half of the game?  Should I use my four 6′s to lock in the bonus on top, or use them for 4 of a kind?  What is my chance of getting a 2 to finish out a large straight?

And the most beautiful part?  They don’t even think they did math today…

Filed Under: homeschooling 6 Comments

Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Plasma individuals ideally pay a resistant parent insulin century which is budgeted by the graduate student organization. tetracycline 500mg capsuleivx Agriculture adopted more southern types during the catheter-related beta-lactam.
January 1, 2009 By

From Perry:

My Hunney has been very faithful, over the life of our blog(s), to do birthday posts honoring the birthday person in question. The rest of us have been terribly negligent in reciprocating. Her birthday posts  have usually taken the form of a number of things you should know about the birthday person in question, the number corresponding to the age of the birthday person in question. Therefore in as much as it was her birthday a week ago and it takes one husband and 6 kids a week to get their act together and furthermore since a gentleman never reveals a lady’s age we present our list of 28 things we love about our Hunney, Mom, Mama, Mommie each in our own words.

So without further ado here are our lists

From Daddad and mom 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world

  1. She has great taste in men
  2. She reads her Bible everyday
  3. Her deep dish pizza
  4. The way she lights up when she spots me across the room
  5. She gets up and cooks my breakfast in the morning
  6. She is neater than me
  7. Frugality is where she shines
  8. She works without complaining
  9. She shares my vision for training the children
  10. Her second and third toes overlap cutely
  11. She taught me to love Degas, and Renoir
  12. She always remembers birthdays and anniversaries in the family (and NO I don’t forget our anniversary)
  13. She likes books as much as I do
  14. The way her toes always point down when she crosses her legs is adorablemom6 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  15. I love her long brown hair
  16. Her sense of humor – just like mine only gentle and kind
  17. Her civilizing influence
  18. The way she “translates” all the girl-speak and emotions into a language I can comprehend
  19. Her green eyes are deep enough to get lost in
  20. She has the most wonderful hugs in the world
  21. She makes sure I get my coffee
  22. She paints her toenails
  23. She buys history books
  24. She loves to read history books
  25. She is very patient even when I am not
  26. She is forgiving
  27. She reminds me to be forgiving
  28. Did I mention she has great taste in men?blind date Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world

Deanna’s list

What I like about Mom:

  1. She is a good cook
  2. She is patient
  3. She sets me  an example of godly femininity
  4. She sets anmom8 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world example of being a good helpmeet
  5. From the time I was little she has raised me to be a homemaker
  6. She has taught me to despise the example of ungodly feminism that the world holds up to me.
  7. She taught me to cook
  8. She taught me to read
  9. She taught me to love reading God’s word
  10. She potty trained me
  11. She she taught me the value of having a clean house (okay, fine, I’m still learning icon smile Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  12. She taught me to sew
  13. She made all of us beautiful Easter dresses when I was six
  14. She bears with me even when I’m not the best daughter she could wish for
  15. She has taught me to love children and aspire to be the mother of as many as I can.
  16. She has taught me many of my comebacks and has added many smart-alecky lines to my arsenal
  17. She is teaching me to shop frugally
  18. She has taught me to love blogging
  19. She raised me with the rod of correction and didn’t let me be a little hellion
  20. She didn’t put me in a school, she chose to homeschool me instead
  21. She, and Dad have taught me to think, and not to mindlessly absorb the feminist, socialist agenda of modern American culturemom7 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  22. She shares her chocolate chips
  23. She shares her clothes
  24. She doesn’t grudge my being at work with Dad too much
  25. She shares her jewelry
  26. She lets me have way too many knives
  27. She lets me burn things (hahaha fire!!)
  28. She usually cleans up when the dogs poop on the floor at 3 am

Kait
————-
1. She taught me to tie my shoes
2. She’s good at writing
3. I look like her
4. She has a good sense of humor
5. She taught me to love chocolate
6. She bought ice cream for breakfast the other day
7. She let me keep my tarantula after it got loosemom9 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
8. She taught me to read
9. She wears her hair long

10. She’s patient

11. She’s good at math
12. She has good taste in clothes
13. She’s calm
14. She’s funny
15. She’s observative
16. She’s a good cook
17. She’s a good teacher
18. She strikes a good balance between too helpful and letting us do it all ourselves
19. She lets us try new things
20. She’s not squeamish
21. She fed my conscience spinach when I was little
22. She’s creative
23. She’s encouragingmomswish Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
24. She generous
25. She’s diligent in everything
26. The way she reads out loud
27. She’s beautiful
28. She’s my mom

Lydia says

1.  She made me who I am.
2. She taught me to cook.
3. Her humor.
4. She loves to share.
5. She taught me to read and to love it.
6. She taught me to cook.
7. She taught me to love just looking at God’s creation.
8. She taught me to draw.
9. She is a friend and a Mom to me.
10. She shares her Dark Chocolate.
11. She put up with me for 12 years.
12. She still loves me after 12 years.
13. She taught me to tie my shoes.
14. She let us do crazy things.beccapc 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
15. She helps me before I have time to ask.
16. She taught me to sew.
17. She is patient.
18. She taught me my love for horses.
19. She drew hundreds of horses for me when I was little.
20. She taught me to take care of myself.
21. She let me buy copies of books so that I have my own.
22. She let me keep a snake (Sestra).
23. She encorages me.
24. She has a brother that is younger than me.
25. She helps me.
26. She let a nagging little 8 year old(me) buy 2 rabbits.
27. She taught me to paint.
28. She is my Mom.

Megan loves the following about her Mom

  1. She is a good cook
  2. She likes garlic
  3. She puts up with us even when we are boogers
  4. She is understandingthe crew 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  5. She loves us
  6. She is patient
  7. She likes reading
  8. She doesn’t let us turn into brats
  9. She taught me to read
  10. She taught me to cook
  11. She taught me to sew
  12. She bought us ice cream for breakfast
  13. She buys me pretty clothes
  14. She bought us a globe
  15. She has beautiful eyes
  16. She layered my hair
  17. She likes chocolatemoms shoulder2 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  18. She taught me to like chocolate
  19. She buys lots of chocolate
  20. She buys lots of books (we have over 2000)
  21. She give me ideas for the story I’m writing
  22. She allows me to keep lots of books
  23. She has a precious baby
  24. She makes delicious pizza
  25. She teaches me to act and speak like a lady

Natalie opines

  1. How she teaches me
  2. How her eyes are greenmom Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  3. How her hair is brown
  4. How she taught me to draw
  5. How she taught me to do school
  6. How she makes chicken pot pie
  7. How she makes me love horses
  8. How she reads
  9. How she taught me to read
  10. How she is a good cook
  11. She taught me to cook
  12. She is going to buy me shoes
  13. She takes me shopping
  14. She loves usmom1 150x150 Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  15. She let’s us play computer games
  16. She loves Christmas
  17. She let’s us get on the computer
  18. She taught me to do jobs (household chores)
  19. The makeup she wears is pretty
  20. She makes me breakfast
  21. She taught me to walk
  22. She makes spaghetti
  23. She taught me to tie my shoes
  24. She lets me go outside
  25. It was her idea to buy a trampoline
  26. She taught me to love her
  27. She loves to read the Bible
  28. She lets us watch moviesmomgun Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world

Becca’s list

  1. She taught me to walk
  2. She taught me to draw
  3. She does good french braids
  4. She helps me with my jobs
  5. She taught me how to tie my shoes
  6. She is teaching me to read
  7. She gets me good presents like : Shoes, dresses, and toys
  8. I like the styles she does in my hair
  9. The makeup she wears
  10. She shares
  11. The way she talks to me
  12. She reads to me
  13. She helps me make pancakes
  14. She helps me with my math
  15. She has green eyes
  16. She lets precious out for me sometimes
  17. She reminds me to clean my roomblogging.thumbnail Happy belated birthday to the prettiest girl in the world
  18. She reminds me to make my bed
  19. She always wears a skirt
  20. The color of shirts she wears
  21. She puts games on the blog
  22. I like the posts she puts n the blog
  23. She is teaching me to sew
  24. The Shoes she wears
  25. She is teaching me to cook
  26. She taught me to brush my hair
  27. She is my mom
  28. She is nice to me
Filed Under: Huh? Category?, humor 29 Comments