Could a Jew join Medishare?

Question

Medishare is a healthcare sharing program designed for Christians.

Is there any reason a Jew wouldn't be able to join such a program?

As far as I understand it, the program works in such a way that people in the program help pay for each other's medical bills. Therefore, you would be sometimes paying for medical bills of Christians and they would be sometimes paying for you. Somehow it works out to be cheaper than many insurance plans. If you need more info on how it works, it is explained here.

It may be necessary to evaluate this program in terms of asmachta lo kanya, given that they don't guarantee payouts. — Isaac Moses, Dec 31 '15 at 16:25
Related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/57426/are-there-any-responsa-that-encourage-or-require-maintaining-health-insurance — Isaac Moses, Dec 31 '15 at 16:43
As a 501(c)3 tax exempt non profit, I’m not sure Medishare can discriminate like that. Any Lawyers on this thread who might comment? Also, if they’re Evangelicals- I would think they would welcome Jews — Jay Tenenbaum, Jan 31 '18 at 22:07
They would welcome Jews, but only if they agree to the first qualification and express belief in the avodas zarah. — sabbahillel, Feb 01 '18 at 00:34
Such a comment might be better rephrased as a question on Law.Stackexchange.com — Noach MiFrankfurt, Feb 01 '18 at 05:58

score 14 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:41

14

The first precept of Medishare's Membership Qualifications is "Christian Testimony," stating generally that

All adult Members age 18 and older must attest to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ."

and then specifying a "Statement of Faith" that includes quite a few assertions about the divinity of a particular man. Such affirmations are prohibited for Jews to make.

It would thus be forbidden to qualify to be a member of Medishare.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:41

Community

1

answered Dec 31 '15 at 16:33

Isaac Moses

48,026
13
119
333

Does the site require any active affirmation, or just states that the expectation is that you affirm? If it's just an expectation, can you join and never actually affirm halachically? – andrewmh20 Mar 20 '16 at 11:24
1

@andrewmh20, I don't know, but assuming one could get through the application process with such a maneuver, logistically, legally, and Halachically (it would be fraud, after all), one would then have to successfully extend the fraud through the closer investigation that presumably accompanies a payout, if one ever needed to actually use the service. Given that they aren't legally on the hook to actually pay anything out, this requirement if successful fraud would only make a risky scheme riskier. – Isaac Moses Mar 20 '16 at 12:26
1

Making such a statement would be chilul Hashem @andrewmh20 – sabbahillel Feb 01 '18 at 17:33
1

When I checked it out part of the affirmation was a statement by a "pastor" @andrewmh20 – sabbahillel Feb 01 '18 at 17:36

Could a Jew join Medishare?

1 Answers1