Jill Johnson, Columbus, PA

A little over five years ago, my husband, Tom, and I decided to move. I spent months trying to find a cost-effective method of handling health care costs. We researched the pros and cons of numerous healthcare options. After much discussion, joined CHM and Brother’s Keeper at the Gold level.

Just months after joining in Feb. 2013, our family practitioner found an abnormality during Tom’s office visit. He was referred to a specialist for testing. The specialist was very accommodating when we explained that we were self-pay patients. He offered the least expensive test that he could.

An unexpected incident occurred during the test and my husband was sent to the emergency room. Thankfully, the situation resolved within several hours and he was sent home.

Faced with much higher bills than we anticipated, we called the billing department for each health care provider and asked if they offered discounts for self-pay patients. Most offered a reduction or requested that we apply for medical assistance. In the meantime, we made small monthly payments on the bills to show we weren’t ignoring them.

I completed the necessary forms for CHM and submitted the bills showing the original costs and reduced amounts. Within one month, we received the first CHM check to help pay off the first provider. In less than three months, all of our bills were completely paid off by this wonderful voluntary health cost sharing ministry and we were reimbursed for the payments we had already made.

Meanwhile, one morning in July Tom woke up with a detached retina and needed emergency surgery. The incident happened suddenly and doctors told us it couldn’t have been prevented or anticipated. Though it was difficult for him to be restricted in all his activities while his eye healed, he complied. The doctors told us that Tom’s improvement in such a short period of time is not normal. They described it as “incredible”!

Our faith has grown stronger through the tough times, and we have seen how God faithfully provides when we simply ask Him. It is now our pleasure to pray and help others with their medical costs through this ministry.

We’re so grateful that God provided for our needs through Christian Healthcare Ministries.

Each time we received a check from CHM, we felt overjoyed and blessed by the outpouring of sharing. It was a joy to write our last check for the hospital and to include a letter explaining how we were able to pay the last lump sum instead of a small monthly payment—through God’s goodness and the generosity of our brothers and sisters in Christ.