Dr. Jessica Peck: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection and the majority of the time she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword BABY or visit preborn.com/AFR hello. And welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show prescribing Hope for Healthy Families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there friends and welcome. Welcome to my favorite time of the afternoon, getting to spend time with you prescribing Hope for Healthy Families. And listen, we're going to talk about prescriptions today and all things health care. I know that for many American families today, healthcare is not just a medical concern. It's not just a, logistical concern. It can really be a financial stress and a source of financial stress that affects everyday life. It affects your monthly budgeting, your yearly budgeting, sometimes your day to day or minute to minute budget budgeting and planning for the future. And costs have been, rising astronomically. I have a front row seat to this as being someone who is in the healthcare system and it has made even basic care just feel out of reach for too many households, not just those without insurance. There are people with insurance who are struggling. Consider this. The average cost of insuring a family even through an employer sponsored plan in 2025, according to the best estimates I could look at, is about $27,000 a year. And that figure has been climbing steadily for more than a decade and it represents a significant of many household incomes. Now I teach health policy in the university setting. I am frequently visiting my legislators and mainly when I'm visiting them, they're showing me a pie chart of the state budget and showing me how much the medicine, the medical care expenditures are. And they're saying, how do we get this down? How do we get this down? And even if you have insurance, it doesn't guarantee access. Surveys show that about one third of adults say that they themselves or a family member delayed or skipped needed medical care in the past year solely because of cost. Even people who have health coverage and nearly 30% of insured adults report cost related barriers to seeing a healthcare provider, to filling their prescriptions. And many report that postponing care has made their health problems worse, which is no surprise to me. I see that all the time, even in prescribing families who cannot afford the prescription that they have or delay testing. And the pattern isn't new. This has been going on for my whole career in healthcare, but it is becoming more pronounced. And in recent national polling, up to 38% of Americans reported delaying or putting off treatment due to cost. This is a record high since these questions have started being tracked. And when families delay care, the consequences are significant because we have chronic issues that get worse. We have issues that could be addressed early that are, now ignored until they're later. Then we have emergency room visits, higher cost bills that are far more expensive than the routine care, often primary care that was postponed. Now, I know these financial pressures do not just affect just people who don't have insurance. This is across the board. This is families of all ages and stages. And everybody is feeling the squeeze. And medical bills are a leading cause of personal debt in the United States. And even things that seem like they should be accessible and affordable can really disrupt a household budget, affect credit. And I see families who are forced to make difficult choices about food or prescription or rent or medical care. And that is a question that's really, really tough to answer and really tough to see. And so families today are asking this question, how do we get accessible, affordable care? And we see a lot of people who are exploring alternatives and supplemental options to traditional health insurance. I saw, after the Affordable Care act, we really saw families become savvy consumers who know what they want. They want affordable, accessible, high quality care. And so today we're going to have a broader conversation about that. How do we protect health and family finances? And so today I want to bring to you an option that may be a, consideration for you as you're making decisions about healthcare. And so with that in mind, I want to introduce our guest today who has decades of experience working across the healthcare in both clinical and administrative roles.
Dr. Ian Day says healthcare costs will increase dramatically in 2026
Today we're talking to Dr. Ian Day. Now, he is a physician who serves as chief Medical officer and Vice President of Medical affairs for Medishare Christian Care Ministry. And he is here to help us understand why this conversation matters now, which we know that, but what does it look like? What are some, what are some ways that he can help? Dr. Day, thank you so much for joining us. We're so grateful to have you here.
Dr. Ian Day: Oh, thank you for having me on your show. And you really put your finger on the hot topic of the month.
Dr. Jessica Peck: It is so true. Of the month, of the year, of the decade. And Dr. Day, I mean, I'm feeling this in my own family. I'll share with you a little personal anecdote. One of my children had like just a little minor accident and needed some stitches. Now ordinarily, to be honest, I'm capable of doing that, but I didn't have access to what I needed to and just the circumstances didn't line up. We ended up having to go to the emergency room and I'm talking about a several thousand dollar bill for three stitches. I mean it was really, really disturbing. And we're seeing that happen. What are you seeing, Dr. Day? As people are just struggling to afford to pay for health care.
Dr. Ian Day: Yeah, you're exactly right. And healthcare costs are high now and they will increase dramatically in 2026 due to a variety of factors. for example the development of new prescription medications, in other words prescription drug costs. And they're saying that there's a lot of hospital, regional hospital consolidations. So that reduces the competitiveness. We've also seen increased medical technology and innovations and on the one hand that's miraculous and beneficial, but they come at a price. And then we have the continued burden of preventable, preventable chronic diseases. And anybody who's engaged in the healthcare system knows how complex it is from an administrative standpoint. All those layers of administrative complexity add to the expense as well and then we have the possible expiration of the COVID era, government subsidies. So there's a lot of factors that are, you know, entering into why the healthcare costs continue to increase due dramatically. And we're seeing right now there's a lot of focus in American society on politics and blame game. But as Christians we have a responsibility to be prepared to take care of our families and to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. And that's what we can focus on today. From my standpoint too, helping Christian families prepare for 2026.
Dr. Jessica Peck: You're absolutely right. You know, one of the things I see, one of the things you mentioned about the complexity and the consolidation of health care systems, I have definite seen this in my career. I've been working in pediatric primary care for about 30 years now. And as I see the health systems, it's in some ways it's great because you have a lot of resources and easy access to those resources. But it does increase cost. And I see that because what things that we used to do in primary care, now everything is templated and you have to go to a different facility, pay another copay. You know, you have to pay a facility charge. All of those things are really increasing the cost of healthcare from my perspective. But even more, more importantly than that, Dr. Day, just what you said. When we see the politicization and con. The controversial nature of healthcare and decisions and advances in technology and science that can be very contrary to the tenets of our Christian faith, it has become a subject that's hard for families to deal with, but also hard for families to talk about even. You used to like, not talk about politics right. At Thanksgiving dinner. But now even talking about health care can be a deeply contentious issue. How do you step into that space as a Christian and cut above all of the noise of that and really meet families where they are? Because I'm sure you're seeing the same thing I do. Yeah, we can talk one way in the public square, but when you meet families face to face, they're making really big decisions and that can be hard to do. How do you, how do you hold tight to the tenants of your Christian faith?
Dr. Ian Day: well, not only that, but the average increase in their bills is like 26%. If they're opening up their policies, a median increase of 18%, average of 26%. So indeed, from a philosophical standpoint and also just the bottom line, it's really difficult and healthcare is getting more expensive. And so for Christians, they need to know there is an affordable option that they might not be aware of. one of them is Medishare, a leading community that supports Christians and one that aligns. Here we have Christians now have an option that aligns with their faith and values. So affordability with alignment of values is the, I think the, one of the answers that Christians, Christian families have nowadays.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, tell us how that works because I think you're right. There are going to be a lot of people who are saying I haven't heard this now. Some have heard the, the commercial and actually the, the man who voices those advert is Brant Hansen, who is a very well known author in his own right and we've had him here on the show. So I always smile when I hear him coming on to talk about it. But introduce this option to those who are hearing about it for the first time.
Dr. Ian Day: Sure. you're referring to Medicare program. You might have also heard of Christian Care ministry and it might be worthwhile backing up a little bit to describe both of those.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Let's do it.
Dr. Ian Day: Yeah. So Christian care ministry is a not for profit 501c3 organization. It's the organization that administers The Medicare program. So what is the program? The Medishare program is an accredited healthcare sharing ministry. The Medishare program is a membership. It's a community of believers that enables members to share in other members medical bills according to the guidelines voted on by the members themselves. Members actually share in other members medical bills through their own individual member accounts. All this being administered by Christian care ministry. So what's the purpose behind Medashare, which started by the way, 32 years ago. It's been around for a long time. So the purpose of Medishare is to bring Christians together to share in God's blessings and to share each other's burdens. Members share in each other's eligible medical bills, that is bills from doctors, hospitals, operations, testing, treatments. But also we share in the spiritual burdens that often arise in the healthcare journeys. So staff come along, our members in prayer with every call. We have several departments in Medishare and one of them had over 450,000 prayers last year. So hundreds of thousands of prayers going up. That's super unique and it's not something you'll find with healthcare insurance for sure. And staff come alongside members with coaching and education to help them in their healthcare journeys. I think an important takeaway for folks to keep in mind is that the Medishare program is built on a foundation of like ideals agreed upon by, by the members. So there's peace of mind knowing that people sharing your contributions are not using your money for things that conflict with their faith. In other words, there's peace of mind participating in God honoring health care. And this is in alignment with Acts chapter 2 and Acts chapter 4 where believers came alongside to help each other in their physical and spiritual needs. In Medishare, all adult members must acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and profess to the posted statement of faith in order even to qualify for membership. And members agree to live by biblical standards and regularly attend church.
Dr. Ian Day: Medishare is a different option from healthcare insurance
So I hope that helps to explain what Medishare program is and really how it's a different option from the healthcare insurance and, and one that's been around for, for over three decades. It really works well.
Dr. Jessica Peck: We will dive into more of how this works. Like, like we said, I think there's a lot of people who are going to be thinking yes, I've heard hearing about this for the first time and some people who are thinking yes, I've been doing that for years and well I have a lot more questions for you. First of all, Dr. Day, we've got to Say you said this has been around for 32 years and it's a very long time. And I'm a little bit older than 32, so I take a little offense to that, but that's okay. I'll overlook it. I think we can, I think we can get past that. But I'm just thinking as you're, as you're talking about the scripture, carry one another's burd, in so doing, fulfill the law of Christ. And I'm reminded of, not too long ago, one of my sons is in college and I attended church with him where he's going to college. And the church had a live stream of prayer requests that were being texted in during the service. And almost all of those prayer requests were health related. So to know that there were 450,000 prayers uplifted, on behalf of, of medishare members is really something that is super inspiring. Listen, we'll be right back with more from Dr. Ian Day, talking about health care and a possible affordable option that could be a consideration for your family. Every family is different and I encourage you to seek wise counsel. But we will Hear More from Dr. Ian Day on the other side of this break.
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Jesus Is My Healer by Jessie Harris feat. Gateway Worship: He alone has triumphed over sickness and disease fear. Where is your power?
Dr. Jessica Peck: The cross is your defeat. Jesus is my. Healer He has won the victory.
Medishare is a healthcare sharing ministry that operates differently from traditional insurance
Welcome back, friends. That is Jesus is my Healer by Gateway Worship featuring Jessie Harris. And that's what we're talking about today, is healing. We're talking about physical, emotional, mental, spiritual healing on this side of heaven, we're talking about healthcare. And I cannot tell you what the best option is for your family for healthcare insurance or how to cover your healthcare cost. Each family is wonderfully unique, and each family has their own set of circumstances. Some families have different financial means. Some families have different chronic illnesses or different healthcare diagnoses. But I know that this is something that families are talking about. And today we're bringing to you a possible option to consider for your family. And we're talking about a healthcare sharing ministry. Now, in the world of insurance, that may be a completely new and unfamiliar phrase. And most of the time, when I hear people hear about that, they have questions and they want to know, what is this? Will it help me? Is it trustworthy? And we're talking today specifically about Medishare. And this is a healthcare sharing ministry that operates differently from traditional insurance. So instead of paying premiums to a large Corporation, members, as Dr. Day has already described, are voluntarily sharing one another's medical bills. It is literally a sharing. And they're also praying for each other. You heard Dr. Day say that Medishare last year offered up over 450,000 prayers on behalf of its members. And it's a model built on personal responsibility, on personal Christian faith, on transparency and community in that Christian community. And for families who may feel squeezed by rising costs, medashare doesn't cut corners on care. It just is changing how care is paid for, how people are supported, and how faith and stewardship guide decisions. And I'm seeing a lot of alternative models for payment. Dr. Day, I'm sure you're seeing this as well. We're seeing the rise of concierge medicine, where people pay a membership fee to have access to a healthcare provider that maybe has a patient panel with a lower amount so they can get a patient, a lower number of patients so they can get more personalized care. We're seeing all kinds of things. But I think that what makes Medishare so unique is that adherence to the Christian faith is sharing one another's costs, but also in the context of not paying for care that may violate your Christian faith. And so let's talk a little bit about that holistic, holistic approach.
Christian ideas of health are grounded in scripture and in Jesus
What does the holistic approach to health mean when we're talking to families who are worried about all aspects of care, but also the bills that come with that care, the stress that comes with accessing and needing that care. And as you talked about our Christian mandate to care for our families.
Dr. Ian Day: Oh, there's some great topics packed in there.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Feel free to help me unpack them.
Dr. Ian Day: Yeah, absolutely. You know, the, the, that, the wholeness of, care, that's what we refer to as a biblical wellness. That's taking care of the whole person. And actually, if you step back even further, our Christian ideas of health really are grounded in scripture and in Jesus. And I love to talk about that. You know, Christianity is so very much behind our ideas of health and also behind the medical sciences. And for example, there's a long Christian history behind the role of, of nurses and physicians. And even the, even the first hospitals, were founded by Christians. And the Christian ideas of health arise out of what we find in Scripture. The call for compassion and healing and charity for caring for others and serving others, based on the firm foundation in the dignity and great value of human life, even the life of a stranger. So consider that Jesus performed countless miracle healings and cast out demons. And by grace, Jesus gives us the comfort and assurance of salvation through faith in him alone. And so Jesus's form of healing is physical and emotional and spiritual total healing. And so we model Christ by caring for the whole person. Biblical wellness, sharing the love of God. God while trusting in God and giving thanks to God as the ultimate healer. You know, Jesus provides us with the number one model of love and caring for one another, caring for one another through his perfect life and sacrificial death. For it's with his stripes that we're completely healed. So I love to bring out that biblical wellness and what we like to pursue, really, as founders in Christian principles and in scripture and in Jesus.
Dr. Jessica Peck: I so appreciate that. And for me, as a nurse practitioner who embraces, a holistic model of care, it so easily adapts to my Christian faith because when we look at the spiritual impact on people's health.
Dr. Day says secular medicine focuses too much on just the physical
I love to talk about this too, Dr. Day. And you know, there's a lot of people who really think that science and faith are oppositional. But I believe that couldn't be farther from the truth because God is the author of science. And when we look at what we're just now learning about advances in the human body like DNA, it is such a beautiful testament of intelligent design of a creator who was very specific in his design for the human body. And one of the disadvantages that I see in modern medicine is the specialization. Now it's great because we have some scientific advances that are going on that can be really beneficial, like in cancer treatments. But we also see that fragmentation of care where I just care for your brain, I just care for your heart, I just care for, you know, just one specific organ system instead of really forgetting about that. We are body, mind and spirit. That is how God made us. And our emotional health impacts our physical health. And Dr. Day, I've said this before on the program many times, but I'll just give you one example, you know, from scripture where we are commanded, you know, to, in everything give thanks and, and not to worry because people often, use just a little fragment of that scripture about be anxious for nothing. And then kind of like that, nothing comes after that, but it's be anxious for nothing but in everything. By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And for me, Dr. Day, as a Christian healthcare provider, I look at that and I think, well, we know about the health benefits of gratitude and it's not just protecting your proverbial heart, like your feelings, it's your literal blood vessels, it's your blood pressure, it is your literal heart health. And I see this beautiful blueprint through the Bible that we're just struggling to catch up with and understand. How have you seen that in your personal experience? How have you seen the intersection of science and faith and more from biblical instruction on that holistic model of health?
Dr. Ian Day: Thanks for bringing that up. You know, I've been in, in practice in central Florida area for approaching 30 years now, mostly hospital based. And I, and I see a distinction really that's developed over the over the years between really a contrast between secular medicine and biblical wellness and a Christian ideas of health. Secular medicine focuses too often on just the physical Medishare supports a biblical wellness, physical, emotional and, and spiritual health. You remind you, you mentioned some scripture I'm also reminded of, of 1 Corinthians 6, 19, 20, which says, do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. So remember that in the Old Testament the temple was considered a sacred place in which God dwells. It was set apart for worship and dedicated to God's service. And so as Christians, our bodies are now the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and we are called to honor and Respect this, well, divine indwelling. And you won't really hear that in, in the, secular world, but at Medishare, we believe very strongly about being salt and light in a dark and fallen world. We aim to help our members live by both healthy and holy lives. Why? So that they may be well enough to serve God with their whole being and in doing so reflect Jesus to those around them. In scripture, we are commanded to love God with our heart, mind and soul, with our whole self. And this also speaks to the idea that we can't separate the physical self from the mind, emotion or soul, like you were saying. So if we are to consider health holistically, we do need to take care for all of these areas, recognizing that they work in concert. Secular health care too often focuses on just the physical symptoms. Like I mentioned, treating them without addressing the underlying causes, such as lack of sleep from anxiety. And mental health practitioners can fall into the same situation, not looking forward to for physical or spiritual factors that are contributing to depression or anxiety. But as Christians, we see the strong relationship between our spiritual health and how it impacts our physical health and our emotional health and mental stability. So we're always encouraging our members to expand their health checklist here at Medishare to ask, how am I doing spiritually? Am I walking with God and experiencing his peace in my physical and mental health? Am I remembering that my body is, a temple and making wise decisions regarding what I put into it? Am I getting the physical activity and rest that I need? Research shows, that people who pray regularly and practice their faith consistently tend to live longer and have better health outcomes physically as well as mentally and emotionally. So it's all tied together as you were referencing, just, just the way God designed it.
Dr. Jessica Peck: It's so true. I love to hear you talk about this because so often for me, as someone who approaches health holistically and from a Christian worldview, there are many times, Dr. Day, where I have, literally, now I'm dating myself because we don't actually write on prescription pads anymore, but we used to back in the day. But I would literally write like, you know, need sunshine, you need to exercise, you need some time with your puppy. You know, you need to go outside and touch grass. Some of those things you, you really see God's design for the health of that. And you know, Dr. Day, sometimes what I see is, you know, when you don't think about that physical mind, body, spirit connection. What I see a lot of times is people who present in my clinic and they're presenting with physical distress, but really the underlying cause is spiritual distress. They may have some sort of sin, some sort of trauma, some sort of emotional distress that they haven't even made the connection that their body is now so stressed out their brain cannot process, you know, all of that. Their body is starting to process it and then they come in and they have physical symptoms. And if I'm just addressing that, it's so easy. I see, you know, write a prescription, they want an instant fix when really there is a spiritual root cause in that. And that can be a tough space to be. As you said in secular medicine. Have you experienced that as well?
Dr. Ian Day: 100%. So either in office setting or hospital setting and in the hospital maybe, in the setting, sorry in the setting of the hospital you can see people in really critical scenarios even at the verge of life. And you, you come to realize that hey, this, this person, their, their main condition is a spiritual ill health. And it, it has gone overlooked in our, in our secular medicine and focus. So the super important. And it's, it's too often overlooked that spiritual ill health.
Too many turn instead to online resources instead of seeking God's wisdom
You know, in the first, first segment you had mentioned something about, I think appealing to, to wisdom on this and important aspect of the biblical wellness includes seeking God's wisdom and not chasing after fads or controversies. He reminds me of James chapter one, where we are to appeal to God in prayer in faith that we lack the wisdom. So we ask God to give that give his wisdom to us and he will supply it to us liberally. That's where we should turn. Too many turn instead to online resources and well, I don't know, face it, Facebook or WebMD, instead of to God first, first when it comes to their physical, emotional and spiritual health. And we believe that's the first and most important step in discerning in discernment is prayer. And then following prayer it's important to do thorough research making sure to include a variety of sources so you can form a complete picture. I mean never before in human history has so much been available for people to understand health and how to take care of themselves. And then of course third thing is, is to discuss this decision with your, with your doctor so that he or she can help you review your research in light of your personal medical history. So absolutely getting God's wisdom first, doing your research, taking that to your clinicians. And then you also are earlier in, in our discussion mentioned giving thanks so that, that, that gratitude aspect is super critical in Christian health care and healthcare sharing Gratitude to God for he has blessed us with amazing medical miracles, from medicines that take away pain of headache to treatments for cancers and debilitating disorders. Thanks be to God for all these things.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, thanks be to God for so many of those things. I was just reading, and I get a daily research bulletin from many of my nursing societies. And one thing I read this morning, Dr. Day, was a study that was recently released really affirming that life can be viable outside the womb as early as 21 weeks more than anyone thinks that it can. And the advances in the miracles of premature care. And that's my. That's my sphere working in pediatrics and of course, having that intersection in the neonatal intensive care unit. That is definitely a place where you see miracles. And Dr. Day, I cannot agree with you enough in turning to the Lord first in any and all of your health. I pray for my children every single night. I pray over them and I pray that God would bless their emotional, their social, their spiritual, their academic, their relational, their, every sphere of health that I can possibly imagine. And God has given us so much wisdom. And we know from the research that I've seen that up to 80% of Americans, as soon as they have have any physical symptoms or symptoms of concern about health, the first thing they do is go to search on the Internet. And that is such a good reminder that the first thing that we need to do is go to the Lord in prayer and then seek wise counsel. Dr. Day, that is something that sounds so simple, yet most Americans don't do. And so that is a great reminder. When we come back, we're going to talk about some more of the logistics of how Medicine Air works and why it might be a good option for your family. Pray about it, seek wise counsel, and keep tuning in. Right after this break, we'll be back.
Dr. Ian Day: The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. They won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku.
Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app
Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app.
See Me Through It by Brandon Heath : Things are getting real. Jesus, take the wheel. Only way I'm getting to the other. Side Days are getting dark life's a little hard blinded But I'm trying. Not to Lose sight? I don't got this I know you got this? Yeah, yeah, yeah? And I'll believe it before I see it? Yeah, yeah, I know you're gonna see me through it? If anybody can you can do it God, I know in the trial and the pain fire and the rain? You're gonna see me through it.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is See Me through it by Brandon Heath. And I know that, I know that I know, I know there are a lot of you out there listening who are feeling stressed by health care insurance. You're feeling stressed by challenges that your family is facing in your health. I want you to know that Dr. Day and I prayed over you and your family before, before we even started talking. And it is on our hearts. And we know this is an issue that many families face. And a lot of times when you face that healthcare trial or trauma or trouble, you may feel caught between two extremes. Either blind trust in a healthcare system that feels impersonal and frankly very, very expensive, or confusion about what advice you can trust. At the same time, we're seeing record high levels of emotional burnout and anxiety and loneliness. And our healthcare system often treats these as separate silos. We have mental health, we have physical health, we have spiritual health. But we believe those things are all intricately interwoven by a creator who designed us, by a father who loves us, by just an amazing miracle of life. And today I'm talking to Dr. Ian Day. he's bringing a rare perspective. He's has decades in modern medicine combined with a deep belief that healing is more than just procedures and prescriptions. And he is talking to us today about an option that may be right for your family. It's a healthcare sharing ministry called Medishare. And Dr. Day, before the break, we were really talking about the intersection of faith and science. And there are some people who worry that that faith based health care means rejecting science like that the two are not compatible. What do you say to families who want excellent medical care? They want some of those advances that we're talking about that are good and honoring to the Lord, but they also want that faith centered approach. How does Medishare approach that?
Dr. Ian Day: Sure, you know, the science is glorify God. The more we know about his creation, the higher he becomes. So science is a, is a, it really does glorify God. And But I think your question is maybe how, how it works. The. Yeah, because what we have is a. This is about a different payment model for your medical bills and the compared to insurance Was that your question?
Dr. Jessica Peck: Yes, yes. How exactly does that work? So people may be thinking well what kinds of things I not get because you talked about the statement of faith and not having, not paying for services that are contrary to the Christian faith. What does that look like on a more technical practical level?
Dr. Ian Day: Sure. So what, what happens with Medishare is that a bill comes in and then staff reconcile it with the guidelines that are voted on by the membership throughout the country. So the members of Medishare here decide what will be shared in as far as the, the bill. And what the guidelines of the members indicate is that things that are not consistent with a biblical lifestyle are not shared in. So for example we don't share in abortion or gender assignment type of operations or treatments. If you happen to be engaged in non biblical lifestyle like using illegal, illegal drugs. Well those medical expenses are not shared in. But whereas we don't share in abortion we do support the family by sharing in adoption. So we're really happy to highlight that we share in adoption and that we have a very robust maternity and, and pediatric and newborn provisions in the guidelines. So a maternity is you know a member's pregnancy is shared in from conception to six weeks after delivery and that includes the birth of the baby even if that baby were to end up in the neonatal intensive care unit. But so un, so lifestyle choices that lead to, to non biblical lifestyle choices that end up in a medical bill are not shared in. And so in the end you end up sharing with other, other Christians in, in God honoring type of healthcare.
Dr. Jessica Peck: That's really important then to review the guidelines to know exactly what you're eligible for and not eligible for. And you've said it several times Dr. Day, that these are guidelines that are voted on, on by the members and then the cost is then shared by the members. And so I think that's a very unique element of Medishare as well because in traditional insurance models that's going to be decided by a bureaucratic structure. And when you're looking at those guidelines, I think one of the biggest challenges that families are facing today is that guidelines are changing and we are seeing this fracture in secular medicine and some of those faith based values that are happening that are happening and I talk to families all the time who are really feeling very fearful, some are feeling very cynical about the status of the healthcare system. Some if I'm going to be so honest Dr. Day, overestimate their own knowledge and researching on the Internet and feel like they know more than maybe I feel like they do. And that can be a dangerous situation to be in for sure. And on the other side of it, I talk to healthcare providers who feel, who are feeling the squeeze of that as well. Maybe they don't want to provide services that are contrary to their care, but they're bound by insurance companies. There's all of these, this conflict and I'm seeing it happen right on the stage of healthcare like I've never seen it before.
How do you advise families to discern who and what they can trust?
How do you advise families to discern who and what they can trust? What is biblical, what is not biblical? you know, for example, we've seen the Catholic Church wade into all of this and talking about issuing healthcare advice like I've never seen before and other religious denominations who are speaking into healthcare. How do you know who you can trust and what's biblical and what's not? Do you have any advice for families discerning that?
Dr. Ian Day: Well, I think if one thing that's available to the, the Christian families is that our guidelines are available online, so fully transparent. If you just type in Medishare guidelines, it's open to the public so you can see exactly what, what is shareable and what's not shareable. So you'll find things that are not consistent with the biblical lifestyle are not shared in. So no gender mutilating operations, no sharing in illegal drug, drug usage, tobacco usage, if you have a, for example abuse of alcohol, like maybe you're the driver, in a drunk driving accident, not Sheridan. So there's peace of mind knowing that they, you're not, you know, your, your, your money's not being sent to, to pay for those type of medical bills.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Yeah. And, and that, that there is peace of mind in that for sure.
Dr. Day: Seeking the Christian health care provider is not necessarily obvious
And what do you see on a more personal level as a physician, Dr. Day, and trying to help families navigate how, how do you find a healthcare provider that you can trust? I've just recently talked about this on the show and the importance I believe from my perspective of find provider who shares your biblical worldview, who you can talk about these things openly because healthcare providers you're literally trusting with your life and it's really important that people invest whether it's in looking at the option of Medishare or what, however else you're going to pay for that, but also the care providers that you're going to. And I see a lot of times the families who are investing a lot more into, you know, where they're going the Yelp reviews, right. For where they're going to eat dinner. Rather than thinking and being intentional about seeking a Christian healthcare provider.
Dr. Ian Day: Right. Seeking the Christian health care provider is, is not necessarily obvious. Like if you look on a network list, so you really do I think need to seek God's advice as to, and his wisdom as to which, which providers to choose and you might get some insight. You know, if, if providers are already accepting you know, health, you know, faith based healthcare sharing ministries that would, that would be a good clue. You know when, when people are considering which faith based healthc care sharing ministry to, to choose they should look into the accreditation status. So there's an accreditation board behind healthcare sharing ministries and you can look that up as well. Just Healthcare sharing ministries accreditation you, if you do a simple search on that, you'll find Medishare in there for example, and you'll find out too too. Does that ministry operate on a self pay model or do they negotiate discounts on behalf of the members? Medishare we have a team that will help negotiate those bills for you to get better discounts. And then are the guidelines mysterious or are they publicly available? I think that transparency and what's shareable is a really important thing. But as with all healthcare choices, choices, you know, which provider do I choose? Seek God's wisdom in that for sure.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well Dr. Day, are there any stories perhaps that you could share with us of people whose lives have been impacted by Medishare as a healthcare sharing ministry? Are there any stories that you could tell us? In a world full of bad news, Is there something that could encourage us and give us hope?
Dr. Ian Day: Well each Wednesday we have a chapel at Medicine here in Medicine Year. And at the beginning of chapel we often have testimonials to share and encourage our staff into the good work that they're doing for our members in service to the Lord. And some, you know, some of the most impactful stories are related to those conditions that have such a huge impact on members like cancer journeys. So say someone joins into membership and then who knows, maybe a year later they come down with a cancer and they wonder is this going to work? Is this thing Medicare going, going to work? And they're so encouraged by the fact that providers, operations, treatments, medications, these things are shared in, in that type of example, no limit in, in duration or, or amount. And it's just so overwhelming to members who are going through these major life events to see other Christians sharing in their own expenses. So Medishare doesn't actually share. It's, it's the members sharing in other members medical bills and there's that, that camaraderie and that prayerful support that knowing that you have 350,000, roughly 350,000 other Christians throughout the country, country helping you you know, financially to cover your medical bills, that's such a great, great support. You know Medishare has a proven track record. We in the first sec, section, we, me, we mentioned it's been around for over 30 years and you know the Medishare community has shared in every eligible medical bill as determined by the member voted guidelines and we now share in more than $50 million each member month for medical bills. So Medishare is the most trusted name in medical share billing. Can you imagine the members knowing that you have you know, all these other members throughout the country that are contributing to to your, to your care? and all the prayers. We, we mentioned 450,000 prayers but that was just one department. We have multiple departments. So I'm sure it's gone way higher than that. So prayer for support by the staff, prayers, prayer for prayerful support by all those other members. Where, where else can you get that? and so we're, we're really happy to offer that to members in service to the Lord.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Well you're right, that's, that is a very different paradigm than getting care from an insurance company that you know, can seem more impersonal. And I remember, remember I had a family member who had a child in the neonatal intensive care unit and just start to get those bills before they're even discharged is a really emotional and stressful experience. And similarly if you're going through a cancer journey or something like that, it can be really devastating to a family. But to have that kind of support and you know Dr. Day, it's so in some ways it's unfortunate because we are not going to be able to solve all of the health care problems in this 47 minute conversation. As much as I wish that we could. But I do really love and appreciate just showing little glimmers of hope. And Dr. Day, there are, I'm sure you felt this as well. There is a lot of hostility towards healthcare workers, towards healthcare in general. But it is so encouraging to see, to shine a light on people like you who are living out their faith in their profession. And we're already at the end of our time together.
Dr. Day: Medishare is a Christ centered solution for healthcare costs
But I would love to give you just a minute minute to give a last word of encouragement to people who are listening.
Dr. Ian Day: Sure. Thanks for that. You know, in a time when healthcare feels increasingly impersonal and expensive like we talked about, the the Medishare community stands out as a Christ centered solution that brings people together not just to share medical costs, but to share life's burdens. Each story within Medishare community is a reminder that faith and stewardship can go hand in hand. Hand members save significantly compared to traditional insurance while experiencing a level of care and connection that can't be measured in dollars alone. It's measured in the stories of hope and healing in our community. This isn't just a health care choice. It's a lifestyle of generosity, shared values and tangible impact because we care for you.
Dr. Jessica Peck: Thank you so much Dr. Day. And really at the heart of our conversation is a simple but powerful idea that healthcare should care for the whole person and not bankrupt the family in the process. And models like Medishare really invite families to rethink just how we pay for care. Not only that, but more importantly, how we care for one another. And as you're caring for whoever you're caring for in your life, I know you're all caring for someone. I pray as I always that the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And I pray that the Lord will lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. I'll see you right back here next time.
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Jeff Chamblee: Opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Jessica is joined by Dr. Ian Day, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and VP of Medical Affairs for Medi-Share/Christian Care Ministry.
Jessica is joined by Dr. Ian Day, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and VP of Medical Affairs for Medi-Share/Christian Care Ministry.
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