Health care doesn’t have to break the bank

Americans are getting crushed by healthcare costs. In 2018 alone, we spent $3.6 trillion on healthcare — that's more than $11,000 per American and nearly a fifth of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It's on everyone's minds, which is why it has taken center stage in the Democratic party's primary. Of course, the solutions offered by the current crop of presidential candidates would do nothing to help alleviate that enormous spending. In fact, it would only add to it — what with Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All and Joe Biden's proposed ObamaCare expansion.

However, what also deserves attention in discussions about plans that increase the government's role in health care is how religious organizations would be affected. Faith-based hospitals and health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) play an important role in America, often serving as a critical provider and/or facilitator of payments for medical services in many states. If plans like Medicare for All were implemented, these groups would be at risk of going bankrupt or being severely curtailed due to the elimination of choice that comes with these proposals.

Instead of imposing a top-down and expensive health care system overhaul, faith-based providers and groups should be allowed to continue offering a variety of plans that work as high-quality, often cheaper alternatives. And more Americans should consider them.

Instead of imposing a top-down and expensive health care system overhaul, faith-based providers and groups should be allowed to continue offering a variety of plans that work as high-quality, often cheaper alternatives.

As mentioned, one such option is a health care sharing ministry. In this model, individuals contribute money into a pool managed by a religiously or ethically-affiliated organization, and costs for medical treatment are shared by people who adhere to that organization's belief system. Typically, applicants are required to sign a statement of faith in order to be accepted. It's basically like a subscription service: consumers pay a set amount of money into the ministry every month. Then, when they have a medical need or incident, they submit a claim to the ministry. Members whose claims are approved are reimbursed by the ministry from that pool of funds. Note, these ministries don't cover procedures they deem immoral.

Because providers are often getting paid in cash under this model — and typically within 90 days — patients are able to negotiate significant discounts, in some cases slicing procedures' costs to a fraction of the initial price. Insurance companies, by comparison, tend to not pay dollar for dollar on claims, and certainly not in cash. Additionally, insurance companies usually have onerous paperwork requirements, forcing doctors to spend half of their time on electronic health records and desk work. This increase in demand for administrative work is partly responsible for the United States leading the world in administrative costs in healthcare.

There are various types of HCSMs, each offering different benefits depending on what the individual needs — and a lot of savings on monthly plans. TakeChristian Healthcare Ministries, for example. It's resulted in enormous savings for its members. Whereas the average healthcare plan can cost about $400a month on the low end (with high deductibles), CHM plans can run between $78-172 a month for a single person. These kinds of plans are particularly great options for people who are relatively healthy and young, where the need for doctors and prescription drugs is less likely.

HCSMs have seen explosive growth in popularity recently. In 2014, there were only approximately 160,000 members. By 2018, membership ballooned to about 1 million HCSM members around the United States who have shared over $1 billion in medical expenses. But unfortunately, many people still feel locked into the traditional — and expensive — health care insurance model. HCSMs provide a way out, and, depending on their belief system, people should research them and see if there's one that best suit their needs. If more people deviate away from the traditional health care insurance market, insurance companies would be incentivized to adjust their pricing. That won't be possible, of course, if plans like Medicare for All are implemented.

Health care is one of life's biggest expenses, and voters are understandably desperate for a plan that cuts costs without compromising quality of care or access to it. Alternative options to health care insurance such as HCSMs are practical, free-market solutions that saves money. Americans should sift through these options before subscribing to plans that will only break the bank.

James Czerniawski is a Young Voices contributor. Follow him on Twitter @JamesCz19.

This is YOUR CHANCE to make a difference!

Tomorrow is Super Tuesday, arguably the most consequential election day leading up to the 2024 election. However, every election leading up to November is critical for determining the trajectory of our country. This may be the most important election season in recent memory, so it is imperative that we do our part and head to the polls, even for smaller elections.

Listeners of Glenn's show are already aware of the multitudes of serious problems that face our nation. From the crisis on the southern border that's letting criminals flood our streets to the never-ending flow of American tax dollars funding a proxy war in Ukraine, it's clear that the people currently in charge are not cutout for the job.

We need to put responsible people back in office and we cannot let any more left-wing activists take power. YOU need to go out and vote and make your voice heard. Check out our COMPLETE list of all the upcoming elections in the 2024 election season. Mark your calendars, plan ahead, and STAND UP!

Alabama

State Primary- March 5th

State Primary Runoff- April 2nd

Presidential Primary- March 5th

Click here for more information

Alaska

State Primary- August 20th

Republican Presidential Caucus- March 5th

Democratic Presidential Caucus-April 6th

Click here for more information

Arizona

State Primary- July 30th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Arkansas

State Primary- March 5th

State Primary Runoff- April 2nd

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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California

State Primary- March 5th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Colorado

State Primary- June 25th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Connecticut

State Primary- August 13th

Presidential Primary- April 2nd

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Delaware

State Primary- September 3rd

Presidential Primary- April 2nd

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Florida

State Primary- August 20th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Georgia

State Primary- May 21st

Presidential Primary- March 12th

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Hawaii

State Primary- August 10th

Republican Presidential Caucus- March 12th

Democratic Presidential Caucus- April 6th

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Idaho

State Primary- May 21st

Republican Presidential Caucus- March 2nd

Democratic Presidential Caucus- May 23rd

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Illinois

State Primary- March 19th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Indiana

State Primary- May 7th

Presidential Primary- May 7th

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Iowa

State Primary- June 4th

Republican Presidential Caucus- January 15th

Democratic Presidential Caucus- January 15th

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Kansas

State Primary- August 6th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Kentucky

State Primary- May 21st

Presidential Primary- May 21st

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Louisiana

State Primary- March 23rd

State Primary Runoff- April 12th - April 17th

Presidential Primary- March 23rd

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Maine

State Primary- June 11th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Maryland

State Primary- May 14th

Presidential Primary- May 14th

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Massachusetts

State Primary- September 17th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Michigan

State Primary- August 6th

Presidential Primary- February 27th

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Minnesota

State Primary- August 13th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Mississippi

State Primary- March 12th

State Primary Runoff- April 2nd

Presidential Primary- March 12th

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Missouri

State Primary- August 6th

Republican Presidential Caucus- March 2nd

Democratic Presidential Caucus- March 23rd

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Montana

State Primary- June 4th

Presidential Primary- June 4t

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Nebraska

State Primary- May 14th

Presidential Primary- May 14th

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Nevada

State Primary-​ June 11th

Presidential Primary-​ February 6th

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New Hampshire

State Primary- September 10th

Presidential Primary- March 12th

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New Jersey

State Primary- June 4th

Presidential Primary- June 4th

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New Mexico

State Primary- June 4th

Presidential Primary- June 4th

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New York

State Primary- June 25th

Presidential Primary- April 2nd

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North Carolina

State Primary- March 5th

State Primary Runoff- TBD

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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North Dakota

State Primary-June 11th

Republican Presidential Caucus- March 4th

Democratic Presidential Caucus- April 6th

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Ohio

State Primary- March 19th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Oklahoma

State Primary- June 18th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Oregon

State Primary- March 19th

Presidential Primary- March 19th

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Pennsylvania

State Primary- April 23rd

Presidential Primary- April 23rd

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Rhode Island

State Primary- September 10th

Presidential Primary- April 2nd

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South Carolina

State Primary- June 11th

State Primary Runoff- June 25th

Republican Presidential Caucus- February 24th

Democratic Presidential Caucus- February 3rd

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South Dakota

State Primary- June 4th

State Primary Runoff- August 13th

Presidential Primary- June 4th

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Tennessee

State Primary- August 1st

State Primary Runoff- August 31st

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Texas

State Primary- March 5th

State Primary Runoff- May 28th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Utah

State Primary- June 25th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Vermont

State Primary-August 13th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Virginia

State Primary- June 18th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Washington

State Primary- August 6th

Presidential Primary- March 12th

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West Virginia

State Primary-May 14th

Presidential Primary- March 5th

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Wisconsin

State Primary- August 13th

Presidential Primary- April 2nd

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Wyoming

State Primary- August 20th

Republican Presidential Caucus- TBD

Democratic Presidential Caucus- April 13th

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Soros is trying to elect MORE TEXAS RINOs. Here's how YOU can stop him.

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images

Texas is under threat of a George Soros-backed takeover.

Soros-funded RINO judges have been elected in some of the highest courts in Texas. These judges implemented restrictions that have blocked nearly a thousand cases of voter fraud from being investigated or prosecuted from across the state. These new restrictions are similar to ones in place in states like George, Arizona, and Wisconsin, leaving Texas more susceptible to election corruption than ever. If Texas falls to corruption, America will lose its largest bastion of conservative electoral power in the nation. Without Texas, Republicans WILL NOT be able to win national elections and liberal corruption will go unchecked across the country.

Fortunately, there is a way to stop this: YOU.

If you live in Texas you have a chance to stand up against corruption and to fight back! Starting Tuesday, February 20th, early voting for the primaries begins, where three of these judges are up for election. Go out and vote. If the right people are voted in, there's a good chance the restrictions will be lifted and election fraud can once again be prosecuted.

But remember, you can't just go in and vote for anyone who has an "R" next to their name. Sorors knows that a registered Democrat would never stand a chance in Texas, so his lackeys register as Republicans and ride the little "R" right into office. So who do you vote for?

Fortunately, Glenn had Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on his show today and Ken gave us his list of judges that he vouches for. His list is as follows:

  • Gina Parker
  • Lee Finley
  • David Schenck
The Primary Election runs from February 20th to March 5th. This is your chance to get out there and make a difference. It might be the most important election you ever participate in. If you need to know where your nearest polling location is, or any other information regarding the election, you can go to votetexas.gov to find out more.
It's time to stand up.

Hypocrisy EXPOSED: The 'Amazon Files' and what WE are doing about it

SOPA Images / Contributor | Getty Images

Who is really banning books?

For years now, Conservatives have been taking flak from the left for supposed "book bans." The left likes to compare these "bans" to Nazi book burnings, accusing the right of sweeping authoritarian decrees designed to suppress information. In reality, this is a movement largely motivated by parents, who want to remove inappropriate books from children's libraries.

But if you want to discuss authoritarian book bans, look no further than the White House. As Glenn recently covered, the Biden administration has been pressuring the world's largest bookseller, Amazon, into suppressing books they disagree with.

On February 5th, 2024, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan released a slew of subpoenaed documents that exposed pressure placed on Amazon by the Biden Administration. The documents, which Jordan dubbed "The Amazon Files" after Elon Musk's "The Twitter Files," revealed an email conversation between Andrew Slavitt, a former White House senior adviser, and Amazon employees. In these emails, Slavitt complained that the top search results for books on "vaccines" were "concerning" and then requested that Amazon intervene. Amazon initially refused, not out of some altruistic concern for the free exchange of information. They thought any action taken would be "too visible" and would further exasperate the “Harry/Sally narrative,” referring to the outrage that followed Amazon's removal of Ryan T. Anderson’s book When Harry Became Sally.

Despite this initial refusal, Amazon agreed to meet with the White House a few days later. The number one item on their agenda was removing books from the website. An Amazon employee even admitted that the reason they even took this meeting was due to the pressure being placed on them by the Biden Administration.

What was the result of this meeting? Amazon caved. They began to implement ways of limiting the outreach of books that challenged the mainstream vaccine narrative and other books the White House might not like.

The White House was caught red-handed pressuring the world's largest bookseller to restrict the sale of books they consider in opposition to their narrative, and they have the gall to accuse conservatives of information suppression. This is just ONE of many actions committed by the Biden Administration that are more characteristic of a dictator than a president.

What can you do about it? Fortunately, you are not dependent on Amazon and its corrupted algorithm to help you find books. Every week right here on GlennBeck.com, we highlight books that Glenn is reading or talking about in our "Glenn's Bookshelf" series. Here you can find a wide selection of books free from Amazon's filters. Be sure to sign up for Glenn's newsletter to find out about new additions to "Glenn's Bookshelf" every week.

10 times Biden has acted like a DICTATOR

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

The left-wing media's most recent tirade is accusing Trump of being a dictator. But, as Glenn said, "Everything they're accusing us of, they're doing."

Since day one, the Biden administration has overstepped the bounds placed on the executive branch set by the Constitution. In Glenn's most recent TV Special, he examined ten times Biden acted like a dictator, NOT a president. Here are 10 of Biden's Dictator Moves, and click HERE to get ALL of the research that went into this week's Glenn TV special: