LEAD. February 2020 | Page 44

of which is elected by members, with annual independent audits available to the public and reports of sharing amounts available to members. 5) Nonprofit Charity: Samaritan is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) religious charity administering a sharing ministry subject to state and federal laws that govern charities. The federal Affordable Care Act, as well as 30 state safe harbor provisions in their insurance codes, recognize that health care sharing is not insurance. Samaritan’s 270,000 individual members (82,000-plus member households) send 44 monthly financial shares directly to other members, along with notes and cards of encouragement. Through this effective, God- honoring ministry, Samaritan’s growing Biblical community shares approximately $30 million in medical needs person-to-person each month. In fact, Samaritan Ministries members have shared $1.8 billion in needs over 25 years. (Anthony Hopp is the Vice President of External Relations for Samaritan Ministries.)