Comparison · Samaritan Ministries · secular vs faith
CrowdHealth vs Samaritan Ministries
Samaritan Ministries is a Christian health sharing ministry. CrowdHealth is secular crowdfunding plus advocacy. If you need a faith-aligned community, Samaritan is the category. If you need no faith gate, look at CrowdHealth and verify the eligibility rules.
Who this page is for
Families who hit Samaritan’s faith / lifestyle guidelines and want a clear secular alternative. or who want side-by-side honesty before switching. Related: no faith requirement.
The short version
Samaritan
Christian ministry share model. Faith and guideline alignment matter. Not insurance.
CrowdHealth
No faith statement. Member-to-member crowdfunding + advocacy. Self-pay presentation.
Do not confuse
“Health share” ≠ one interchangeable product. Legal and operational models differ.
Dated comparison (September 29, 2026)
| Samaritan Ministries (category) | CrowdHealth | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Christian health sharing ministry | Crowdfunding + advocacy. not a ministry |
| Faith requirement | Yes | No |
| Insurance? | No | No |
| Legal payment guarantee? | No (not insurance) | No. voluntary crowdfunding |
| MEC | Generally no. verify | No |
| CrowdHealth money shape | : | $60 advocacy + crowdfunding caps + $500/$3,000 commitment |
Samaritan share amounts and guidelines: verify on Samaritan’s site. CrowdHealth figures company-reported September 29, 2026.
| Component | Shape (company-reported, September 29, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Advocacy fee | $60 per member / month |
| Crowdfunding max (standard) | Ages 0-54: up to $140; 55-64: up to $280; family of 4+: up to $420 |
| Published average | ~$142/mo individual under 55 ($60 + ~$82 crowdfunding) |
| Member commitment | $500 per eligible health event; $3,000 for eligible global pregnancy event |
| Black Swan tier | Lower monthly crowdfunding maxes; $15,000 commitment; maternity not eligible |
Sources: How it works, FAQ. Not a personalized quote. CrowdHealth is not insurance; funding is not legally guaranteed. Verify live.
Who should skip CrowdHealth
- You need a contractual payment obligation. Stay on ACA or traditional insurance.
- Tobacco, weight, or age gates fail. Check the current FAQ (tobacco history, 220 lb female / 260 lb male, membership ends at 65).
- Heavy near-term pre-existing needs. Related crowdfunding is usually closed in years 1-2; year 3+ has a related cap.
- You need MEC in a mandate state. Membership does not satisfy MEC (CA, DC, MA, NJ, RI, VT named; verify your state).
- You need HSA-fundable premiums. The membership fee is not HSA-fundable per FAQ framing.
- Expected delivery is under 300 days after mom joins. Maternity crowdfunding is not eligible in that window.
Official sources
- CrowdHealth How it works. advocacy fee, crowdfunding caps, member commitment, model overview. Research-dated September 29, 2026.
- CrowdHealth FAQ. eligibility (tobacco, weight, age), maternity 300-day rule, MEC, pre-existing framing. Research-dated September 29, 2026.
- Member Guide. member process detail. Research-dated September 29, 2026.
- Referral program. member-referral rewards and friend promo framing. Research-dated September 29, 2026.
What we left out on purpose
- Invented Medi-Share / CHM / Samaritan / Sedera price tables. verify each product’s own site.
- Calling any of these “insurance” or inventing funding success rates.
- Faith doctrine debates. we only note the gate exists for ministries.
- State-by-state mandate encyclopedias (deferred until law verify).
Member referral. Verify live with CrowdHealth. Full disclaimers in the footer.