The Christ Medicus Foundation, in Partnership with Samaritan Ministries International is Launching the Nation's First Catholic based Health Care Sharing Ministry, CMF CURO

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today at the National Press Club at 12pm in the Zenger Room, the Catholic 501(c)(3) non-profit Christ Medicus Foundation is announcing the creation of CMF CURO (www.cmfcuro.com), a Catholic Living Health Care Ministry.  CMF CURO is a member-representative to  Samaritan Ministries International ("Samaritan" or "SMI"), offering Catholics the first Catholic health sharing ministry.  Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, CMF CURO is being launched to provide Catholics and all people of faith with affordable access to medical care that protects their religious liberty and the Gospel of Life based on Catholic teaching.

Over 300,000 Americans are members of health sharing ministries nationwide and they share over 200 million in health care costs per year according to the Alliance for Health Care Sharing Ministries (http://www.healthcaresharing.org/hcsm/). Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), members of health sharing ministries in existence prior to 1999 are exempt from the ACA's individual mandate. CMF CURO provides Catholics an affordable alternative to secular medical insurance that is consistent with Catholic teaching, allowing Catholics to protect their religious liberty and their individual right of conscience. 

The Affordable Care Act has resulted in a rising chorus of religious liberty concerns from Christians nationally. Samaritan and CMF are excited to introduce CMF CURO as a truly Christ-centered health care solution grounded in Christian charity and the sacrificial love of Christ. CMF CURO Co-Founder David Wilson stated that, "CMF CURO is born out of Christians uniting together as Christ asks us to do in service to all, reflecting God's love for each of us. In addition to providing affordable access to health care and caring, Samaritan Ministries International enables all of us to protect our religious liberty and truly live the Gospel of Life."

Rather than paying a monthly premium through an impersonal insurance contract, CMF CURO members make monthly share payments directly to members in need.  CMF CURO members have access to online health tools and a unique health care debit card authorized to pay for medical services. 

"CMF CURO advances a culture of life in health care, empowering Catholics to act in charity, solidarity, and community with their fellow Christians, manage their health care, disentangle themselves from the ACA Individual Mandate, and truly experience Christian caring through the blessing of Samaritan Ministries International.  As the founder of CMF, I wish to thank SMI for their expression of outreach to the Catholic Community through CMF CURO,"  said Mike O'Dea, Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation.  CMF CURO members are Samaritan members, adding to the strength of Samaritan's 37,000 households and 120,000  members.  "After over three years of planning, we really believe CMF CURO in its essence is true Christ-centered health care that advances the culture of life and the New Evangelization", stated CMF CURO director Louis Brown.  "The beauty of CMF CURO is that it empowers families to experience Christ in their health care, it is affordable, and it actively protects the individual right of conscience of our members, truly affirming the Culture of Life," continued Mr. Brown.

About Christ Medicus Foundation (www.christmedicus.org) : The Christ Medicus Foundation is a Catholic 501(c)3 non-profit  founded in 1997 "to promote the active presence of Christ-centered health care and health caring faithful to Catholic teaching, the Gospel of Life, the Theology of the Body, Humana Vitea, and the Ethical and Religious directives of Catholic health care through active engagement in education, public policy, and the marketplace empowering individual rights of conscience and religious liberty in daily life for all, in all we do."

About Samaritan Ministries International (http://samaritanministries.org/): Samaritan Health Care Sharing Ministry was founded in 1991, launched in 1994, and is one of the nation's leading health care sharing ministries.  It was founded to provide an authentically Christian approach to health care needs.

SOURCE Christ Medicus Foundation