Janelle Gleason, Oregon City, OR

Stan and Janelle Gleason of Oregon City, Ore., gave birth to Gentry Gleason on November 5, 2014. Here’s what Janelle said about their maternity journey and CHM experience:

Christian Healthcare Ministries: What sparked your interest in joining CHM?

Janelle Gleason: CHM was highly recommended by some of our family members. My sister-in-law used the maternity program and had a great experience.

We signed up with the hopes of starting a family. I joined at the Gold level because I wanted the best program for any pregnancies.

CHM: What steps did you take when you learned you were pregnant?

JG: I researched chministries.org. The website and the information I gleaned from phone calls to CHM were very helpful. I navigated the process fairly easily—a major blessing considering everything that was going on in our lives at the time.

CHM: Did you experience any complications?

JG: Thankfully, I had no pregnancy or delivery complications, but the staff of the hospital I chose didn’t offer me any discounts because they didn’t consider me a self-pay patient. I explained that CHM isn’t insurance and doesn’t make legal contracts with its members, but they still weren’t convinced. I asked them to call CHM so the ministry staff could explain it to them.* CHM also helped negotiate discounts.

Staff member Naomi Watson was particularly helpful and gracious. After a conversation with her, I told my husband how much I appreciated her genuine spirit and positive attitude.

CHM: What tips can you give to help other members interact with their health care providers?

JG: Consistent communication with the hospital and clinics enabled us to negotiate payment plans and extend discount due dates. We told them, “If you’re willing to wait on the check, we’ll pay the remaining balance as a lump sum.” By taking this approach, we even received an additional 20 percent off our hospital bill! Diligent communication goes a long way.

CHM: Your fellow CHM members shared your medical bills totaling $28,014 after $4,231 in discounts. What did that mean to you?

JG: With an incredibly grateful heart, I say thank you. CHM has been wonderful to work with. Plus, we negotiated discounts that reduced our out-of-pocket costs—another blessing. We love this ministry and pray God’s blessings on CHM.

*Editor’s note: If your health care providers don’t understand CHM or if you have difficulty obtaining discounts, you or your provider can call CHM’s Member Advocate department at 1-800-791-6225, option 5.