...and it's not the good kind.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/7/2167331/-A-Christian-health-nonprofit-saddled-thousands-with-debt-built-pot-farm-a-bank-and-an-airline?detail=emaildkre&pm_source=DKRE&pm_medium=email

I don't know how many of you have seen the commercials about the MediShare organizations, the evangelical Christian answer to for-profit health care businesses. The idea behind these outfits is that when a member gets a disease, the cost is shared between the members. A lot of people in their promotions say these not-for-profit Christian insurance plans are great because the costs are lower per member. Frankly, I have been suspicious of this lot not only because of the religious angle but because I suspected that if one suffered a debilitating illness that could put one out of work and need special equipment for the rest of one's life, these insurance companies, even more so than their profit-making counterparts, could not afford long-term support for things like that.

With the release by Propublica to Daily Kos of the report at the link above, there is another very good reason why one may wish to be skeptical of some of these MediShare insurance plans. Apparently, because there are few laws regarding how these organizations are supposed to operate, some of these groups (the article focuses on Liberty) have decided to operate like they are profit-oriented businesses with Liberty investing its profits in, among other things, a marijuana farm in Oregon.

I think this is called fleecing the flock, something I'm sure many of you are well-versed in.

Wow, what a scammer.

My favorite exchange in the article:

How do you pay your bills, Dan?
“How do I pay my bills?” he responded. “I get paid.”
By whom?
“I get paid by a lot of people.”
By?
“Just different entities that I work for.”
Who do you work for?
“I work for myself.”

In America you generally cannot actually ever punish the perpetrators. You can fine their organizations. We should be able to punish the criminals directly,and it is getting to the point where prison is not enough. They should be humiliated and barred from employment and anything else short of corporal punishment.

I haven't seen the commercials, but what a bunch of grifters. It looks like greater regulation and oversight of the industry is needed. I saw at one point the Beers family played the "religious persecution" card.