Recent Changes
August 2025 Guidelines Updates
Overview, Section VI., Section IX.B., and Section X.D.
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) to $1,000 for Samaritan™ Classic and $2,000 for Samaritan™ Basic.
Section VI.A.
Removed language about Minimum Amount to be a Shareable Need because it is no longer accurate, considering previous years’ changes for the fair-price reward.
Section VIII.B.
Added the request that members return funds to Samaritan for continued ministry to members when they sell medical equipment that had previously been shared.
Updated text to clarify that the prescription limitation does not apply to anti-rejection drugs after an organ transplant.
Corrected section number reference for accuracy.
Section VIII.D.
Corrected section number reference for accuracy.
Section XIV.A.
Added language stating Samaritan may not share beyond the maximum shareable amount when a member household switches from Samaritan™ Classic to Samaritan™ Basic, but their ongoing Need has already exceeded the maximum shareable amount.
Section XIV.B.
Corrected section number references for accuracy.
Index
Corrected section number references for accuracy.
April 2025 Guidelines Updates
Save to Share™, Section I.C.
Added language to clarify funds are set aside each year.
Save to Share™, Section I.D.
Added language to explain the amount memberships in Save to Share are to have set aside; such funds can be called upon at any time, with the maximum amount being three times the yearly set-aside amount.
Save to Share™, Section I.E., I.F., II.E.
Updated language to provide clarity and simplicity.
Save to Share™, Section II.G.
Qualified Needs exceeding $250,000 will continue to be shared, being divided among participating memberships’ set-aside funds.
Save to Share™, Section II.H.
This guideline was simplified so that a Need cannot receive more than 50 percent of the total Save to Share set-aside funds on any particular month. Previously, a Need could receive half of the total set-aside funds for the current year held by participants when shared; funds held from previous years would then be assigned to the remaining unmet portion of the need, up to half of such funds.
Save to Share™, Section II.I.
Removed language regarding the proportional division of set-aside funds.
November 2024 Guidelines Updates
Overview
For members switching from Samaritan™ Classic to Samaritan™ Basic, added language to clarify that all bills submitted after the switch will be shared under the Basic Guidelines, regardless of the date of service.
Overview, Section IX.A.
Updated the maximum shareable amount for maternity needs in Samaritan™ Classic and added information about the maternity co-share.
Overview, Section VI.A.
To simplify, removed language about maximum shareable amounts repeated elsewhere in the Guidelines.
Section III.D.
For clarity, changed “person” to “participant” and deleted “in that group” when explaining criteria used for determining share amounts.
Section IV.B.
Updated language about keeping costs down.
Section VI.A.
Added language to clarify how bills for separate incidents—related to the same medical need—are shared.
Added language regarding the way in which treatments received for similar, multiple conditions may be shared.
Added language to eliminate confusion related to the maximum shareable amount for non-maternity needs shared in Samaritan™ Basic.
Section VII.
Updated language to accurately reflect when a condition is considered pre-existing as the result of a member switching from one membership program to the other.
Section VIII.A.
Removed language about not requiring treatments to be approved by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Added Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET) as an allergy treatment that is not shareable.
Changed “back” to “spinal” to clarify the scope of shareable surgeries related to the spine.
Removed supplements as a shareable treatment for diabetes.
Changed Guidelines cross references for sharing prescriptions for high blood pressure, eligibility of joint replacement surgery, and therapy.
Added clarifying language to indicate non-prescription hormone treatments are not shareable.
Moved lipedema and lymphedema from under Medical Services to Physical Conditions.
Removed subpoint under optical conditions about acute injuries and changed total number of therapy sessions allowed from 40 to 20.
Section VIII.A., Section IX.A.
Added qualifying language to indicate birth-related complications that the mother incurs—up to 90 days after birth—will be shared as part of the maternity need.
Section VIII.B.
Added language explaining a medical need is shareable for diagnoses and/or treatments by a licensed medical professional (LMP) under the license of their jurisdiction. Medical practitioners whose prescribed treatments are not shareable and LMPs that may have limits within their license/certification are also listed.
Listed all shareable alternative treatments. Alternative testing—as well as complementary and alternative treatments that are part of integrative medical programs—are not shareable.
For consistency with similar references, changed therapy session limit reference from “global” to “total outpatient.”
Updated Guidelines cross reference for regular tests, checkups, dental problems, and therapy.
Moved lipedema and lymphedema references from Medical Services to Physical Conditions.
Removed homeopathic as a shareable approach or treatment.
Changed number of total therapy sessions limit from 40 to 20.
Added saunas and hyperbaric chambers to the list of equipment not shared.
Removed supplements, naturopathic treatments, nutritionist services, and nutritional products because they are not shareable.
To simplify the Guidelines and for consistency, removed the actual number of shareable osteopathic therapy sessions and changed “office visits” to “total outpatient therapy.”
For clarity, deleted sublingual immunotherapy from prescriptions.
Removed clause that says developmental related speech therapy is not shareable.
Changed the section heading from “Purchasing Supplies/Supplements from Relatives” to “Purchasing Supplies from Relatives” and removed all references to supplements.
Section VIII.E.
Added Guidelines cross references to the list of shareable conditions and clarified that the conditions listed are generally ineligible for sharing during the first year of membership.
Section IX.
Added language to indicate that the initial unshareable amount and proration are waived for home births and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in both Samaritan™ Basic and Samaritan™ Classic.
Section II. Need Sharing • Save to Share™
Added the co-share as the amount of a need that might not be shared.
September 2024 Guidelines Updates
Overview, Section III.B., Section III.C.
Simplified the language regarding monthly sharing and clarified that Shares to Samaritan Ministries are non-refundable after 30 days.
Overview, Section VI.A.
Updated the maximum shareable amount to $247,500 for Samaritan Basic. The maximum shareable amount for Basic maternity Needs will remain $236,500.
Section III.K., Section III.L., Section VIII., Section VIII.A.
Added language regarding sharing guidelines for new members.
Section VI.A.
Updated the maximum co-share amount for non-maternity Needs in Samaritan Basic from $13,500 to $2,500.
Section VII.D.
Changed the section heading from "Verification for Certain Conditions" to "Verification of Condition/Symptom History." Simplified guideline clarifying a doctor's statement may be required.
Section VIII.A., Section IX.9., Save to Share Guidelines Section II.
Removed superfluous information already addressed elsewhere in the Guidelines.
Section VIII.A.
Added new conditions and information on how they are shared, including allergies; arthritis; autoimmune conditions; joint pain, inflammation, and degeneration; Lyme disease, Lyme co-infections, and other tick-born illnesses; restricted airway conditions; and varicose veins.
Back surgery is generally not eligible for sharing within the first 12 months of membership.
Bone calcification is only eligible for sharing after 12 months of membership.
Expanded hormone imbalance with further information on how this condition is shared.
Simplified and clarified how optical conditions are shared. Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are only eligible for sharing after 12 months of membership.
Section VIII.B.
Updated the section title from "Sharing Limits" to "Medical Services."
Removed section on Hormone, Infusion, and Intravenous Therapy, to expand in VIII.A.15. and VIII.B.16. instead. Moved optical to the Medical Conditions section.
Lipedema and Lymphedema are only eligible for sharing after 12 months of membership.
Expanded injection and intravenous therapy with further information on how these services are shared.
Added joint replacement and spinal surgery, as well as information on how these services are shared.
Modified prosthetics and orthotics, and included information regarding sharing for new members.
Section VIII.E.
Added a comprehensive section regarding sharing for new members.
Section IX.8. Maternity & Newborn Care
Added information on the 10% co-share for maternity Needs in Basic with a $13,500 maximum co-share amount.
August 2024 Guidelines Updates
Overview
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) to $750 for Samaritan™ Classic.
Section II.A. Adult Children (Age 18 and Over)
Removed the income exception guideline for single adult children age 26 and over to remain on the family membership because it no longer applies. The guideline that allows for the adult child to stay on the family membership because of a disability remains.
Section III.D.1. Samaritan Classic
Removed the share amount chart. Effective August 1, 2024, share amounts for Samaritan Classic will be based on the number of individuals in a family participating in the membership and the age of the oldest person in that group.
Section III.D.2. Samaritan Basic™
Removed the share amount chart. Though share amounts in Samaritan Basic are already based on number of individuals in a family participating in the membership and the age of the oldest person in that group, effective August 1, 2024, age group specifics will align with those being introduced in Samaritan Classic.
Section V.A. Additional Giving—Special Prayer Needs
Added language to clarify that the Initial Unshareable Amount and co-share cannot be shared as Special Prayer Needs.
Section VI.A.3. Amounts That Members Share—Minimum Amount to be a Shareable Need
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount for Samaritan Classic to $750. The paragraph’s language was also simplified for clarity.
Section VI.A.4. Amounts That Members Share—Initial Unshareable Amount
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount for Samaritan Classic to $750. The paragraph’s language was also simplified for clarity.
Section VI.A.5.b. Amounts That Members Share—Effect of Discounts—For Samaritan Classic
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount for Samaritan Classic to $750.
Section VIII.A.8 Need Sharing—Physical Conditions—Dental Conditions
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount for Samaritan Classic to $750.
Section VIII.B.17.a. Medical Equipment—Shareable Up To
To simplify the sharing process, the maximum shareable amount for prescribed medical equipment is now $5,000. The calculation based on monthly share amounts was removed, because it no longer applies.
Section VIII.B.17.a.1. Medical Equipment—Rentals
Language was added to clarify that after the first month a rented item is shared, members must provide the cost of purchasing the rented item before sharing can continue. In addition, the maximum shareable amount will not exceed the purchase cost of the item, whether rented or purchased.
Section VIII.B.17.a.3. Additional Amounts
Changed language to reflect the new maximum shareable amount of $5,000.
Section VIII.B.17.b.2. Additional Amounts
Removed language to simply the guideline for maintenance, repair, and replacement of medical equipment.
Section IX.A.1. Maternity & Newborn Care—Maternity Needs That Are Shareable—One-Person Memberships: No Maternity Sharing (Two-Person Membership Required)
Updated the age from 45 to 40 regarding maternity needs for women participating in a one-person membership.
Section IX.B.1. Maternity & Newborn Care—Initial Unshareable Amount/Proration-Standard Initial Amount
Updated the Initial Unshareable Amount for Samaritan Classic to $750.
Glossary
This section was added to explain commonly used terms.