Samaritan Ministries
Samaritan Ministries International is a 501(c)(3) health care sharing ministry operating a direct member-to-member platform serving 250,000+ Christian households in the United States, offering Classic, Basic, REDEEM, and employer group programs where members send monthly shares to cover one another's medical bills.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersPeoria, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Samaritan Ministries does
Samaritan Ministries International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit health care sharing ministry headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, founded in 1994 by Ted Pittenger on the Galatians 6:2 model of "bearing one another's burdens." The organization operates a direct member-to-member sharing platform serving 250,000+ Christian households across the United States (excluding New Mexico), where members send monthly shares to other members with medical needs along with prayers and notes of encouragement. Core products include the traditional Samaritan Classic (from $210/month) and Samaritan Basic (from $125/month) programs, the next-generation REDEEM HealthShare platform with Essential ($91), Enhanced ($113), and SeniorSaver ($116) tiers, the Save to Share catastrophic needs add-on, the FlexShare dental/vision/mental health add-on, and Samaritan Groups for employer, church, and nonprofit channels.
The technology stack combines a member-facing web portal and dashboard for need submission and share management with third-party integrations: Valenz Health and Valenz Bluebook Concierge for provider pricing transparency and bill negotiation, and Amb-OS for radio distribution of the Family Health Checkup program across 1,100+ outlets. The ministry holds Healthcare Sharing Accreditation Board accreditation (2023), a CMS letter of certification as a qualifying Health Care Sharing Ministry under 26 USC §5000A(d)(2)(B)(ii), and 501(c)(3) status (Tax ID 37-1295601). FY2025 (July 2024 to June 2025) operational throughput reached $499.6M in total financial expenses, with 88.4% of expenses flowing directly to member needs (above the 80% guideline) and administrative expenses held to 4.2%.
Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, with nearly 50% of new members acquired through word-of-mouth referrals (the Tell A Friend program offers $100 credit per referral), supported by radio, content marketing, social media, and church sponsorships. Revenue mechanics consist of recurring monthly member shares (subscription), one-time application and program-switch fees ($200/$100), and a $15 Save to Share annual administrative fee. FY2025 outcomes included 57,872 published needs, 823,584 shares sent, 478,467 encouragement notes, $420M+ saved through member-driven discounts, and $32.6M saved through Provider Relations bill negotiation.
Samaritan Ministries firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Samaritan Ministries
- Legal name
- Samaritan Ministries International
- Website
- https://samaritanministries.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Samaritan Ministries International is a 501(c)(3) health care sharing ministry operating a direct member-to-member platform serving 250,000+ Christian households in the United States, offering Classic, Basic, REDEEM, and employer group programs where members send monthly shares to cover one another's medical bills.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Samaritan Ministries industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Health Care Sharing Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)
Keywords
Where Samaritan Ministries is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peoria
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Samaritan Ministries business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Monthly Member Shares: Members send monthly financial gifts directly to other members with medical needs. Amounts are based on membership program (Classic or Basic), number of household participants, and age of oldest participant. Classic ranges $210-$925/month, Basic ranges $125-$525/month. Administrative costs are covered during first 3 months when new members send shares to SMI instead of other members.
- Application and Administrative Fees: One-time non-refundable application fee of $200 per membership. Save to Share program has a $15 annual administrative fee. Switching between programs incurs a $100 non-refundable fee.
- Donations: Friends of the ministry can donate online. Donations help support ministry operations and member assistance programs beyond regular sharing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | REDEEM Essential - Budget-friendly option with low co-share |
| Subscription | Monthly | REDEEM Enhanced - Premium option with no co-share |
| Subscription | Monthly | REDEEM SeniorSaver - Medicare complement for Christian seniors 65+ |
| Subscription | Monthly | Samaritan Basic - Lower-cost traditional sharing program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Samaritan Classic - Traditional sharing program with 100% sharing |
| Subscription | Annual | Samaritan Groups for Employers - Biblical health care for teams |
| Subscription | Annual | Save to Share Program - Catastrophic needs coverage |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Samaritan Ministries product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Samaritan Ministries operates a Christian health care sharing ministry in which individual and family members send monthly financial shares directly to other members with qualifying medical needs, accompanied by prayers and notes of encouragement. The organization offers multiple sharing programs (Samaritan Classic, Samaritan Basic, REDEEM Essential, REDEEM Enhanced, REDEEM SeniorSaver) plus an employer-sponsored channel (Samaritan Groups) and optional add-ons such as Save to Share for catastrophic needs and FlexShare for dental, vision, mental health, and naturopathic care.
Product overview
Samaritan Ministries offers a suite of Christian health care sharing programs designed for individuals, families, and groups. The portfolio includes three REDEEM HealthShare programs (Essential, Enhanced, SeniorSaver), two traditional sharing programs (Samaritan Basic and Samaritan Classic), and employer/group solutions (Samaritan Groups). Optional add-ons include FlexShare (expanding sharing to include dental, vision, mental health, and naturopathic care) and Save to Share (for catastrophic needs exceeding program limits). The programs work through a direct member-to-member sharing model where members send monthly shares to other members with medical needs. A companion wellness resource (Family Health Checkup radio program) and referral program (Tell A Friend) complement the core sharing programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Samaritan Basic: Health care sharing program with $2,000 Initial Unshareable Amount, 90% sharing percentage, starting at $125/month
- Samaritan Classic
- Samaritan Groups
- REDEEM HealthShare
- Save to Share
- Family Health Checkup
- Morning Center
Products and services
- REDEEM Essential Next-generation Christian health care sharing program with a low co-share option and an optional $1,000 FlexShare add-on, starting at $91/month, for individual and family members seeking budget-friendly monthly shares.
- REDEEM Enhanced Next-generation Christian health care sharing program with no co-share and prescription sharing included, plus an optional $1,500 FlexShare add-on, starting at $113/month.
- REDEEM SeniorSaver Christian health care sharing program for seniors age 65+ that complements Medicare Parts A and B, with an optional $1,000 FlexShare add-on, starting at $116/month.
- Samaritan Basic Traditional Christian health care sharing program with a $2,000 Initial Unshareable Amount, 90% sharing percentage of qualifying bills after the IUA is met, and lower monthly cost starting at $125/month.
- Samaritan Classic Traditional Christian health care sharing program with a $1,000 Initial Unshareable Amount, 100% sharing of qualifying non-maternity needs after the IUA, generous maternity care, starting at $210/month.
- Samaritan Groups Employer-sponsored health care sharing solution for churches, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations, allowing them to pay for employee individual Samaritan memberships via Collective Share Group or Individual Share Group structures with annual billing ($1,648-$11,514 per household per year plus a $200 one-time per-employee sign-up fee).
- Save to Share Optional catastrophic-needs program for Samaritan Classic and Basic members whose qualified needs exceed program maximums (over $500,000 for Classic or $497,500 for Basic); members set aside designated annual amounts ($133, $266, or $399 based on family size) plus a $15 annual administrative fee.
- Family Health Checkup Daily one-minute radio program produced by Samaritan Ministries offering Christian-perspective health tips, distributed through Amb-OS to 1,100+ radio outlets and targeting women age 25-54.
- Morning Center Christ-centered prenatal through postpartum maternity care program opened by Samaritan Ministries in 2013 to serve women in need, expanding the ministry's service portfolio beyond medical bill sharing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $420 million saved by members through discount negotiations in FY2024-2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Samaritan Ministries
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Samaritan Ministries technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
Samaritan Ministries partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Valenz HealthcoreValenz Health provides integration with the ministry for provider price and quality information, upfront price negotiation services, and bill negotiation. Valenz Bluebook Concierge helps members find appropriate care and negotiate medical costs. Provider Relations team works with Valenz to help members save on medical expenses.
- Amb-OSminorAmb-OS distributes the Family Health Checkup radio program to over 1,100 outlets nationwide. Provides FTP access for program delivery and permission systems for radio stations.
- Bluebook CareConnect / Bluebook ConciergecoreProvides care compass services to help members find quality surgery centers and healthcare providers, with testimonials from members praising the assistance in finding care and negotiating costs.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Samaritan Ministries competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sedera Health: Medical cost sharing community emphasizing direct member-to-member sharing with modern digital platform. Comparable non-insurance cost-sharing model with employer and individual offerings.
- Altrua HealthShare: Faith-based healthcare sharing ministry providing member-to-member sharing programs for individuals and families. Comparable non-insurance Christian sharing approach.
- Zion HealthShare: Member-owned healthcare sharing community offering direct bill sharing with three program tiers. Comparable nonprofit sharing model with faith-friendly but not strictly Christian requirements.
- Liberty HealthShare: Faith-based healthcare sharing ministry offering multiple program tiers to Christian individuals and families. Directly comparable member-to-member model and faith-based value proposition.
- OneShare Health: Christian healthcare sharing ministry with multiple program tiers, employer group offerings, and faith-based membership requirements. Closely aligned in product structure and target market.
- Solidarity HealthShare: Catholic-inspired healthcare sharing ministry offering member-to-member bill sharing with faith-based membership criteria. Comparable in religious-affiliated sharing model.
- Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share): Largest healthcare sharing ministry serving Christian individuals and families with direct member-to-member bill sharing. Most directly comparable to Samaritan Ministries in mission, model, and target demographic.
Broad incumbents
- UnitedHealthcare: Largest U.S. health insurer with broad product portfolio including employer-sponsored coverage. Represents the traditional incumbent whose high prices ($8,435+/year single coverage) create the demand Samaritan exploits.
- Kaiser Permanente: Major integrated health system and insurer; while structurally different, represents the closed-network model against which Samaritan's 'no network, freedom to choose' positioning is differentiated.
Emerging players
- CrowdHealth: Tech-enabled crowdfunding platform for medical bills; while not faith-based, it disrupts the same non-insurance cost-sharing space with a modern digital approach and represents a forward-looking threat.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Samaritan Ministries social profiles
Digital presenceSamaritan Ministries compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Samaritan Ministries financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Samaritan Ministries leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Samaritan Ministries funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Samaritan Ministries M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Samaritan Ministries
What does Samaritan Ministries do?
Samaritan Ministries operates a Christian health care sharing ministry in which individual and family members send monthly financial shares directly to other members with qualifying medical needs, accompanied by prayers and notes of encouragement. The organization offers multiple sharing programs (Samaritan Classic, Samaritan Basic, REDEEM Essential, REDEEM Enhanced, REDEEM SeniorSaver) plus an employer-sponsored channel (Samaritan Groups) and optional add-ons such as Save to Share for catastrophic needs and FlexShare for dental, vision, mental health, and naturopathic care.
Is Samaritan Ministries a public or private company?
Samaritan Ministries is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Samaritan Ministries founded?
Samaritan Ministries was founded in 1994. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Samaritan Ministries based?
Samaritan Ministries is headquartered in Peoria, United States, in the North America region.
How does Samaritan Ministries make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Monthly Member Shares are the primary driver. The others are application and Administrative Fees and donations.
Who are Samaritan Ministries's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sedera Health, Altrua HealthShare, Zion HealthShare, Liberty HealthShare, OneShare Health, Solidarity HealthShare and Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share). Broad incumbents are UnitedHealthcare and Kaiser Permanente. CrowdHealth is listed as an emerging player.
Does Samaritan Ministries have an API?
No public API is recorded for Samaritan Ministries.
What industry is Samaritan Ministries in?
Samaritan Ministries's product category is Health Care Sharing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAG, Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAF, Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries. Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8300.