Healthcare Open Enrollment

This is David Baxter and I serve as business development director for MIDI radio. The only reason were able to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ on the radio is because of financial support from listeners like you. We also have businesses support us to like United States mortgage faith in family is at their core, it's why they choose to be such a close partner with our station is why they specifically advertise on Christian radio stations across the country. It's wife, father and son, John and Ryan still lead the company to this day. Check out United faith mortgage and the direct lender advantage@unitedstatesmortgage.com thanks to you and to United faith mortgage for supporting Rudy radio United faith mortgage is a DBA of United mortgage Corp. 25 Belleville Park Rd., Melville, NY license mortgage backer for licensing information, go to an MLS consumer access.org corporate MLS number 1330. Equal housing lender not licensed in Alaska, Hawaii, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah that time of year again and no I'm not talking about the upcoming holidays it's time to consider your healthcare needs for 2022 Rob West yes in a few days it'll be healthcare open season flooring guide is with us today to talk about a great way to meet your healthcare expenses and one that will almost certainly save you money. But it's all your calls at 800-525-7000 800-525-7000. This is moneywise live wisdom for your financial decisions.

Well, it's always fun educational I'll say to have Lauren guide deck with us on the program she's vice president of communications and media at Christian health ministries, where they give believers an alternative way to meet their healthcare costs and Lauren welcome back to the program. Absolutely. So this is of course a very busy time of year for you and your team at CHN healthcare open enrollment, so it should begin by defining that for us.

We don't actually pack an open enrollment because folk and roll with time, however, the year when people are generally looking for you and Amy either need to renew their health plan. Are there looking for a different way to take care of their healthcare costs so that being said court a very busy season for I can imagine a lot of folks thinking about healthcare in wanting to look for ways to make it fit into their budget. Why is open enrollment important. Lauren, as I mentioned, really, people start thinking about my gosh, what can I do for me healthcare for next year. You know when their employer may have a plan that that they're going to be having to re-enroll in or like I said they might be looking for something different. Maybe something they have been tried before. Different options such as Christian healthcare so obviously as folks look at this is that Windows time that they need to take advantage of that evidence. What happens if they miss open enrollment, 20, 21 well there looking to enroll in their employer's health plan, you know that they will not be able to get the coverage that they're looking for for next year, but with Christian healthcare ministries that you can it's okay if you missed the deadline, you can enroll in February if you want to you can enroll in March, you can enroll whenever it's convenient for you. Yes hello. This relates to the affordable care act and potential signs. If you miss a deadline and specifically how Christian healthcare ministries complies with the ACA individual mandate from the affordable care act, but practically speaking, there was a law passed by Congress a few years ago regarding the budget and essentially that eliminated the penalty for not having health insurance or an alternative health insurance so there is no penalty any longer. But what's nice with CHN is that we've always been compliant with the affordable care act and so you know we are ineligible option to have that instead as of what your listeners may currently have in place are people still required to help healthcare employees. Typically they are right they are. But again, there is no penalty.

However, such an important thing to have in your life that you know if you think about it. If you have a couple of kids and one of them breaks his arm, and you get a hospital bill.

Oh my goodness I you know the x-rays and everything $7500 you know most folks really can't afford that. So I I would say it's very important to have some kind health provision place that you can take care of your family. I couldn't agree more. Lauren specifically as it relates to open enrollment. What is the open enrollment. The tar listeners need to be aware of while the open enrollment. According to the healthcare.gov website for most health plans again, not CHN but for most health plan is Monday, November 1 through December 15 at this year very good Lauren guide is with us today Christian healthcare ministries.

We come back to talk about what CHN is hell, perhaps in this Windows time. You can look at an alternative.

So perhaps will be a bit more budget friendly. That and your questions just around the corner at 800-525-7000. This is moneywise live biblical wisdom for your financial decisions moneywise live Rob West, my guest today is Lauren guide from Christian healthcare ministries Lauren's vice president of communications media and its open enrollment season for healthcare but to Christian healthcare ministries it's open season all the time because this is a way to cover your healthcare expenses with a budget friendly approach and Lauren, I'd love for you to take just a moment and talk about what actually health cost-sharing ministry is and how it works so biblical way.

Meeting your healthcare cost taking care of your healthcare that does not require enrolling during open enrollment time. You people can enroll any time throughout the year. We base our ministry on Galatians 6Q carry each other's burden. In this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. And so we aim to do that in the area of healthcare that as at the body of believers, we are joining together to assist each other both financially and spiritually with with this very important life need absolutely so critical as we provide for families to make sure that this area is covered in CHN was a great way to do that would make CHN unique Lauren, in your view and why should folks consider that we been around a long time CHN pioneered the concept of healthcare, sharing, and we been here now for 40 years that we actually just celebrated our 40th birthday and you. We are also on budget friendly as you have mentioned a number of time and that what we hear from folks is that they appreciate that you think they appreciate our budget friendly aspect and also that they feel like they are living out their faith by being a part of the ministry like the HM's and that's really critical to know that it's not always are you handling the healthcare expenses for your family but your part of the community of people that are praying for one another ensuring one another's burdens, and is just a beautiful picture of the body of Christ the Lord. Are there any drawbacks to Christian healthcare ministries. In this approach to covering health costs seen on the learning curve you know people are used to a certain way of meeting their healthcare costs and then they hear about healthcare sharing in an entirely new concept that I think once folks understand that it's not an insurance program but it is still a very effective way to get your healthcare cost taking care of. Then they really go all in and could not be more excited about it. Would you describe just how it works for somebody who's perhaps just hearing about health cost-sharing for the first time feel when they walk into a doctor's office for an office visit to work. They have to go into the hospital for a broken arm for a child, what is that look like under this program what you would do if your number is CHN. He would go into your doctor's office or hospital and you would let now you and I can call another email and let them know that you are a member of a Christian healthcare sharing program but technically speaking, your self-pay patients and what that means for them.

They need to bill you directly and so once you get those medical bills from your healthcare provider turn around and send them into Christian healthcare ministries. We work on the bills. We help you get discounts at reduced rates and things of that nature. And then we go ahead and share those medical costs and when I say share Binkley what that means is that we will send you a check you the patient would get the check and you would take that to your healthcare provider and pay them directly.

What might a family of four. Expect in terms of the monthly cost of four CHN women to be able to have this type of ministry on our goal program which is our best program, $516 a month. You can also choose from amongst our lower-level programs, silver and bronze or you can even mix-and-match your different family members to be on different programs. So $516 a month is the most that any family ever will and that's why we say this is budget friendly, because if you are your family have been to the doctor recently you had to visit the emergency room you seen the rising cost of healthcare. So to be able to have the confidence of Christian healthcare ministries behind you is essential. Lauren, let's talk about somebody in a specific situation.

Perhaps nobody is making a life-changing starting their own business. How might they specifically benefit from being a part of the CHN family great for entrepreneurs and business owners because your Christian living by biblical principles in other humane things that data really greatly CHN. One of them. We've Artie talked about the whole budget friendly aspect and you know if you're trying to launch a new business or a new venture are even more than one new business side can be quite a challenge. You know, if you take care of your healthcare cost.

Secondly what's really great for business owners is that CHN is portable and they can take it with them wherever they go. So let's say you had a business. I didn't quite work out for you. You decided not to do that anymore. But you wanted to try something different. You can take CHN with you and the word I would use how this process works is seamless. You know, you don't even have to let us know. Hey, I changed jobs that I'm doing this now, that's not even necessary, you just are CHN member for as long as you want to be one of you talk about. See you tomorrow as a family to describe the CHN community and what's folks are becoming a part of when they join CHN CHN is really nothing more than on an extension of your local church and like instead of having maybe a few hundred folks that you would meet with on a weekly basis. It's like having huge family of believers. Hundreds of thousands of folks all over the country who are supporting you and not just financially. As I mentioned before but but spiritually you know you have people who, if they become aware of your need.

They can pray for you.

They can send you cards in the mail. You know times people exchange emails and it's just a very encouraging way you noted to be part of the larger body of Christ that would absolutely extend I can imagine a lot of folks are excited about this when they call in to see Jim's what's the first thing that will happen. What might expect, well, you know, I don't want to shoot our own horn that you know we have had a lot of folks who have complemented our member services staff members Bella. You know you he would call in a number services person would answer the phone and they're very compassionate, very kind and always willing to help in and we know that the people calling and I'm facing some really difficult times in their life, and I would just say that our staff is very motivated by compassion and you'll be treated like a person instead of a number slower grateful for our partnership with Christian healthcare ministries.

Money was folks I would encourage you to check it out. To learn more and slower and how can they do that how can they get more information go to our website. H 3.4 CH ministries.org you can call it a 9-to-5 Eastern time. 800-7916 225-800-7912 25 excellent CH ministries.org Lori, thanks for being with us today. Thank you so much for having Laura guide to Christian healthcare ministries again. CH ministries.org to check it out. Your calls and asked 800-525-7000.

This is moneywise live will be right back joining us on what he was Western hose ledger along with us today. Just a moment were to be taking your calls and questions on anything financial 800-525-7000 before we do, let me mention that we often refer to the certified kingdom advisor designation here in the program. Those men and women who have taken their professional competency and experience and really purpose themselves to be specialists and biblically wise professional financial advice through a 50 hour university training, pastor and client references statement of faith. Code of ethics. It really is the gold standard for biblically wise advice, and if you'd like to connect with a professional in your area would recommend you visit our website moneywise live.org just click find a CJA all right, let's take your phone calls in just a moment will be talking to Lisa about selling her home in debt management with Nancy but first is Trenton, Missouri hi vera, how can I help you yeah I had a question about my farm.

I'd like to have that I made here financial advisor account blurs and what they think AA CPA 80 L UTC F12 management.

Though I believe I connected with one of them. I just got have another opinion here so you did with the three different professionals each for the purpose of considering them to take over management of the proceeds of the farm.

Is that right now I can bet for God. Very good and one of the three you said you really felt like you had a good connection with is that right and that right right interest in helping me, not just himself's very good, and then his business is basically see based investment management would you charge a percentage of the assets that your turning over for management.

I have not but I was going to okay good managing director of whatever I'm sure they don't work for nothing but sure that all well I'm glad to hear first of all that you after selling the farm you're thinking about seeking wise counsel.

You know I suspect you have quite a bit of money coming in the way of the proceeds of the sale.

Vera in the lesson you want to do is put on autopilot. As you said you want to be a good steward or manager of these resources and I think having somebody who's a professional who can invest based on your goals and objectives were God is leading you, but bringing their professional expertise to bear and not making emotional decisions, one where the other based on the ebbs and flows of the market, but really investing with a strategy that is long-term in nature, but appropriate for your age and objectives. I'm also glad to hear that you interviewed three and that one has really stood out as being a good fit for you in terms of rapport and communication like the fact you're saying he's more interested in what's going on in your life and your needs than selling you something.

That's certainly a positive indicator.

I think perhaps the follow-up question is exactly how would my money be invested based on what you're hearing for me much would be in stock so much would be in bonds. If we were to get into a recession. How much might I expect this portfolio to go down before it recovers. How will I be communicated with and how often and how do you get paid and what is that look like there should be a lot of transparency there but if you can get comfortable with all of those things I think this is perhaps the direction that you absolutely should go because again I think I given this new season you are entering into, with a significant sum of money would wholly concur that you need a professional investment advisor overseeing this on your behalf.

Does that make sense program so much I love you guys.

I name AA stock.

I would like to further the kingdom as much as possible.

If not for my I want to help spread the word yes and so are you talking about making sure that the investments that are selected are God honoring specifically as much as possible.

Yes, I do that I wrote them down a question I can't find but okay yeah no problem. So you're probably talking about a couple of fun families.

Why would say two things him in this area number one. Happy be happy to give you some names to look but secondly I would love it if this investment professional had a competency in deploying a faith-based investing strategy and that would mean that he or she would already have investment models in place that would be appropriate for you that intentionally either avoided certain companies based on your values or embraced other companies because of the difference they're making in the world and not all advisors can do that so that would be a question that you'd want to ask in terms of some of those investment families that we're most excited about the work they're doing is faith-based investments. I would mention Eventide EV ENT IDE and you can find out more@investeventide.com. Another one would be praxis PRA taxes and x-ray's praxis mutual funds.com both phenomenal fun families that are really focusing on investing in companies that not only are generating a great bottom-line return but also making a positive impact in the world both here in the US and abroad that what you're looking for what I'm looking for all right and I will vera just good and I really would like to give them each a certain amount of money.

Now I want to see how they spend it how do they handle it will help me determine when I'm gone. Yes okay well you can absolutely do that and I think it's a great idea. This year you could give up to 15,000, and it would fall under the annual exclusion without being applied to the lifetime gift exclusion itself, there still quite high but you would even touch that if you keep it under 15,000 child for this year and I think perhaps beginning to see as you said how the manager now to prepare for when you might ultimately transfer a much larger sum down the road and want to make sure that it's not in any way stumbling block in the wise management. Vera, God bless you. Thanks for looking back to moneywise live with us today. 800-525-7000 is the conversation to lines open. Perhaps one of those is for you. Let's head back to the phones.

Cleveland, Ohio hi Nancy, how can I assist you. So the offer of full time job go back and tell a lot that I'm looking for a credit loan and medical bills looking for a good company that would help her deal with her feel the and not deal with the company that they are really threatening to go see her when she got back to work, garnishing that for a good copy that will really help keep that from happening yellows and help deal with the company that owned money to yes appreciate you calling on her behalf and obviously it sounds like she wants to really make good on these to the best of her ability to realize the amount is probably daunting and she's so frustrated by the fact that she can't get these paid and yet if her desire is to do so.

I would hopefully be willing to work with her. You know she's got a couple of options when one would be to engage them directly. The medical field is very good, typically about working with patients all on payment plans that fit their budget because they know if they don't start somewhere and take a monthly amount over time that they're probably not going to recover what they've lost and so you I think the key would be that she works very hard to figure out exactly what is her budget look like what expenses can she eliminate what margin can be freed up by cutting back in certain areas and then once she knows how much she can afford, then perhaps making a detailed list of every bill that she has and then just starting with each one. Perhaps the largest one first because they be the most likely to try to seek a judgment and see if she can't negotiate a payment plan that would fit within her budget. So, at least everybody agrees to it. She's now an on-time payer and perhaps it could keep them from taking any further action. In terms of garnishment. You know only a judge can garnish your wages unless were talking about the IRS or something like that so they're going to have to take her to court for that. Obviously she wants to keep it out of that situation and so getting into an agreeable payment plan can make a lot of sense if she wants some counsel from an organization that deals with that all the time. Most often, credit card debt that they could still weigh in on this I would ever reach out to Christian credit counselors.Oregon talk to one of their counseling specialists who could really look over her situation and perhaps give her some further advice, but I think leaning into this as opposed to ignoring it or trying to run away from it is key to getting them back on the plan were everybody's agreed that she's actually making progress toward paying these off, which should keep it out of court. Does that make sense though very helpful and valuable find a good left about point company.

Well, I would go online and do a search and read the reviews you know there are some some great websites out there. I think the key is, you're gonna want to find the one that's the highest rated to ultimately get an appraisal on that from a legitimate source so I don't have one in particular you could look though at the numismatic Association. This would be the Association that oversees this industry and that they could refer you to some reputable dealers in your area so just google a numismatic Association, and then I would look for the one that's the highest rated or recommended for you to get that appraisal and listen. We wish you the best of luck. Thanks for calling today.

Peter is in Colorado Springs, Colorado Peter, how can I help my call and what I wanted to ask about you been thinking for some time about the Christian ministries producer like health costs and wondering about how you incorporate that into your your health plan. Most people just leave their business. Hopefully my wife carries our insurance through her work multiple just drop out of the money into the sharing ministry or balance you know for everything from routine medical checkups to you know expensive procedures that might have you sure yeah you know if you can switch to something like this.

Typically you would release, or let go of your traditional health insurance and then you would use a health cost sharing ministry to cover your medical bills entirely realizing fully what the program is all about.

So on the gold program. You would typically be looking at the most. Around $500 a month or less, probably somewhere around 400 or a bit more and essentially you would be responsible for anything under $500 per incident.

In terms of the cost. So routine doctor visit. Things like that don't amount per incident to at least $500 you becoming out of pocket but anything over that would be shared entirely. In fact, they cover 100% of eligible bills and they've shared over $6 billion going back now, 40 years as the original and longest running health cost sharing ministry. So I think the key would be to look at okay working to save quite a bit of money every month we would want to take a portion of that and set it aside until we reached a bit of a reserve specifically earmarked for healthcare expenses so that we could, you know, be able to come out of pocket for the routine type events and services. Now remember, your typically to get a significant discount on those because your cash payer and so you know, as you tell them that typically they'll work with you and see you, Jim will actually help you negotiate those down, but you will be taking care of those out-of-pocket up to that $500 threshold at that point everything else is covered.

And of course you know all the way up to the major expenses you know that can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars or more than that. So I think this first thing is is education Peter and then looking at how something like this would come alongside you comparable to traditional insurance which this is not comparing the cost of the two and then really making a plan to build up that reserve so you can be able to cover those out-of-pocket expenses for those smaller ticket items medically related. Does that make sense and that is will be personally on the hook for the smell. Of course, is wondering how quickly do they usually send you to cover the whatever quick turnaround time.

Great customer service and they know that you need to be able to cover those bills on a timely basis and so have a wonderful team ready to respond as quickly as you need. Once bills are approved to get those checks out. So I visit the website perhaps talk to somebody on the phone all your questions answered.

Ministry is not to say thank you to Mike today the wonderful work behind the scenes is Eric Tidwell Amy Rios Dan Anderson Jim Henry.

I couldn't do this without regard your long as well. Have we got slides open. I'd love to hear from you what's going on in your life today, we'd certainly love to serve you and are grateful that you invite us into your stories each day with your financial questions will try to shed light from God's word on what's going on in your financial life and help you move forward with contentment and confidence and peace of mind.

Here's the number 800-525-7000 got several lines open right now 800-525-7000.

Next up is Dave in Johnstown PA Dave talk about wondering. We have and move until another and thousand dollars dividend paying fund that pays monthly dividends and the church would get those but they cannot touch the principal meatball next church would shutdown one that it's going to cannot be passed on indefinitely. Yeah so I think it would it would be how you structure it to mean you can put that money into a trust.

Another more popular vehicle would be was called a charitable gift annuity where you essentially give the full amount of way in which you put it into the charitable gift annuity and then the income from that goes to the ministry of your choice into perpetuity. I think what you're talking about is though if if the ministry is dissolved, what happens, and I think that would have to be spelled out in advance.

For instance, you know, if this were in a trust and the instructions were to give the proceeds or the income to a particular charity. You have to also spell out what happens if that surety ceases to operate and that your typically it would close down you know it could be the Board of Trustees could vote to roll all of the assets into another church. That's going to continue the ministry and perhaps assume the assets but there's just so many scenarios of what could go on. I think you is this something you're looking to do with this income rather than making no specific gifts directly because that way it would be a wonderfully income for the just a lump sum and then say three or four years, it's gone back where I started this way, they at least have monthly annuity that you know are you looking at a charitable gift annuity or another vehicle to do this well, I'm just looking. I'm just curious what vehicle you're looking to do this inside of are you looking at a charitable gift annuity or did you have other some other planning strategy.

I was like a stalker different. No areas are really income some like that you dividend every month.

Well, obviously during your life, you know, something changed and you could redirect those funds and have the benefit of the charitable gift annuity is it's an arrangement between the donor and the nonprofit where you know you could get a regular payment until your death.

Based on these assets and then they get the full amount after your death. What you're talking about is where the income is going to the charity each month and I think that could be spelled out in this you know in a trust. For instance, but I think you'd want to give consideration to as a part of those instructions. What happens if that ministry ceases to exist and then go and make that decision in advance so you can anticipate that, Lord willing. That doesn't happen in the ministry you selected continues to receive the income so I think there's a number of ways you could tackle this, I'd encourage you to reach out to our friends at the National Christian foundation in CF giving.com Dave and talk to their gift planning attorneys about what your time trying to accomplish and I believe they can help you structure something that would honor your desire to get regular income to the ministry into perpetuity but also account for the fact that something could change down the road and you want to be prepared for that.

So in CF giving.com and asked them to weigh in on the situation and then give us a call back and let us know what you decide. We appreciate your call today. Lathrop, California hi Claude, how can I help you one years old job change. A year ago you lot of our saving and I just started a new job or make between 15 to 1800 week I want to know how I can save up money.

You know you future me in my life.

She makes about 2000 a month and I just need some help and where to build some well yeah well the key.

Claude is is going to be first of all to recognize your role as steward of God's resources and to recognize God owns it all and that the Bible is really full of wisdom you can apply here. Yeah, the other thing I would say is I would build my giving in, right on the front and be faithful and that I believe the Lord will honor that. But apart from understanding God owns it all and the importance of giving first in a really your financial security and your ability to save for the future and fund your longer-term goals. Whether that's retirement or the ability to buy a house or fund an education and whatever that might be is going to come down to you living within your means and I know that's you know that might sound simple, it's a lot harder to do it than just say it but it really is the reality of every financial success depends upon that very basic fundamental rhythm of you having a system to not only understand what it takes to fund your lifestyle and is that appropriate for you. Meaning does it match with your income and then how do we control the flow of money in and out on a monthly basis and how do we actually spend less than we earn so that we have margin to fund our goals and priorities, and those should match your values where you believe God is taking you, I would start with an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months. I would then startup funding retirement, at least to the matching portion. If you have it in upwards of 10 to 15% is a goal of your take-home pay and then beyond that, I look at any other goals you have saving for a down payment on a house you're saving to buy cars with cash those types of things but you can't do any of that.

Unless you have margin by living on less than you earn. So what I would do as a next step. If you don't have it is really spend some time thinking about what are you spending currently. What is that current budget look like and then weigh that against the income that you have to see you know whether you do have any margin or whether you're living right up to the edge and if so, you may need to dial some things back in at that point then is just a matter of controlling the flow of money in and out last thing I would say is you hold the line and will get your information I will give you a six month Pro subscription of the money was because I believe that could be a great tool to help you and your wife manage God's money is you set up your budget and whether use the digital envelope system or just the planning tracker even just the tracking function alone would give you a better understanding of where your money's going and you what changes you need to make so you can truly fund. What's most important to you so I hope that's an encouragement to you, you stand the lie will get your information and I will get you registered for the Pro subscription. We appreciate your call Robinson Crown point, Indiana Rob, how can I assist Rob talk. Thank you for taking the time. The point we currently just received my body from a relative of ours. Basically when I did the calculation its work probably about yesterday and right now okay it's getting roughly 4.5%, knowing that mature and an additional 15 years.

I've got my wife sitting here were just kind of money that we weren't planning came into our goal right now pretty much that's receptive how and when looking to master what would give her peace of mind and make her mortgage go on we'll all be 60,000 on the house so I would take a bite at that mortgage are pretty good and hurting both bars at the peak of my mortgage on. Eventually, maybe by next year gone, but I get another that you're like, hey I bond my main question yeah and so as you think about paying off that mortgage because I'm hearing that that's really important to you guys and I think that's great. Are you on track. Currently to pay that off as quickly as you'd like.

Or would it take you redeeming this I bond or some other way to accelerate that to really meet the timeframe you're looking for the mortgage paid off by next year really hunker down and get it gone, so that I talk about our K Roth A pretty much maxed out about something good steward like literally just extra cash that we didn't expect were just trying to yeah well I bonds are a great tool right now just because what's happening with inflation. So I'd say hang onto those because the rate of return you're getting for your basically zero risk, given that it's backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government is not anything you're to find anywhere else.

So I would say you stick with that. I love the fact that you guys are prioritizing being debt-free. Sounds like you try to be real careful stewards of the monies God entrusted to you and that's great. So I'd say just keep up the good work.

Keep doing what you're doing and that we appreciate you checking in with us today. All the best days ahead as a partnership between radio money was hot American day as well come back tomorrow or perhaps Monday