Frequently Asked Questions

The World Healthcare Cooperative is a member-funded, community-focused, Healthcare Cooperative, providing affordable Healthcare and Financial Services for Singles, Families and Employers, in the U.S. and World-Wide.

We are similar to an Agricultural Cooperative, which provides a “One-Stop” community business service for farmers.

WHC is a “One-Stop” community healthcare service, providing affordable healthcare services and plans for you, and all members of your community.

Our Mission is to make your healthcare affordable, less financially risky and easier to manage.

Our Cooperative Members:

✓  Singles, Families and Employers.

✓  Medical Providers

✓ Union & Trade Associations

✓  Non-Profit Organizations

✓  Rural Hospitals

✓  Towns & Communities

Your Local Healthcare Cooperative: WHC offers its Healthcare and Financial Services via local Community Healthcare Cooperatives. Each CHC gives all community residents and companies local access to affordable Healthcare Services.

Contact Us for a directory and more information about your local Community Healthcare Cooperative.

Members Self-Insuring Members

The Community Healthcare Cooperative: The Community Healthcare Cooperative, (CHC), is the local Healthcare Cooperative for the World Healthcare Cooperative. Your Community Healthcare Cooperative provides local Healthcare and Financial Services for community residents and employers.

Contact WHC for a CHC Directory or if you would like to form a Community Healthcare Cooperative in your community.

Everyone can become a member of either the World Healthcare Cooperative or your local Community Healthcare Cooperative:

✓  Single Persons including pets
✓  Families – No age or relationship Limitations
✓  Employers – All Staff, No Limitations
✓  All Types of Medical Providers including Holistic
✓  Union and Trade Associations
✓  Non-Profit & Religious Organizations
✓  Marketing & Sales Organizations
✓  Community Hospitals
✓  Towns & Communities

To learn more about WHC Member types go to “WHC Plans” and “FAQs”.

No!

WHC does not sell health insurance. We will refer you to a licensed insurance sales person if you desire or if your medical condition warrants having an ACA health insurance plan.

Why does WHC Not Sell health insurance? Except in one situation, we believe the cost of an ACA healthcare plan is too expensive and financially risky for you to have. Take a look.

Financial Example: If your ACA plan costs $500 per month, you will pay $6,000 in your first year. The ACA plan will also have an annual Out-of-Pocket, Deductible and Co-Insurance cost of about $9,000. Your total cost for the year could be about $15,000.

Most people don’t have this kind of money to pay their monthly or their annual Out-of-Pocket costs!

We don’t want to sell you a healthcare plan you can’t afford to pay or even use.

WHC is a Healthcare Cooperative providing a wide range of healthcare and financial services for you, and all people and companies in your community.

✓  WHC Manages Your Medical Deposits: Your Member Contributions are deposited into a bank or credit union to be used to pay your future medical bills. This is called “Self-Insuring”.

All WHC Members, “Collectively”, Self-Insure you and all other Members’ medical costs. This is a form of “Crowd-Funding”.

✓  WHC provides you with a Medical Concierge Service: Your Concierge helps you manage your entire Healthcare Program. We review your medical bills for billing errors, duplicate charges, and available discounts. Your WHC Concierge helps you locate cost-effective Medical Providers and answers your healthcare questions.

Your Concierge is your “Healthcare Advocate”, who will represent you with any medical issue! 

First, WHC is a Healthcare Cooperative. Not an insurance company. ACA and Group Insurance Plans are sold by insurance companies.

Next, there are three Main Differences:
✓  Your Monthly and Annual Out-of-Pocket costs
✓  How Your Medical Bills are Paid
✓  Discounts and Subsidies You Can Receive

Monthly Cost: WHC Cooperative Healthcare Plans are about 50% less than expensive, ACA insurance plans.

Out-Of-Pocket Costs: ACA & Group Plans have Deductible and Co-Insurance costs, called the Annual Out-of-Pocket cost; averaging between $9,000 and $18,000 per year.

WHC has no Deductibles or Co-Insurance costs. Only a simple and affordable Co-Pay for each medical service.

How Your Medical Bills are Paid: With ACA and Group plans you must pay the plan’s Annual Out-of-Pocket cost before the insurance company pays your medical bills.

With WHC, your medical service costs are paid on Day-One and Reimbursed to you, in cash, by WHC.

Discounts and Subsidies: With ACA and Group Plans, Medical Providers are prohibited from giving you Discounts or Subsidies.

With WHC, Medical Providers can give you discounts ranging from about 5% to 50%. Hospital discounts could be as high as 90%. In addition, WHC will Cash Reimburse you, on average, 50% of your medical costs.

In addition, WHC will give you Subsidies for being healthy, having a family, having a low income and being a senior.

Summary: WHC Healthcare Plans are about 50% less expensive per month, have an 80% or more, lower Out-of-Pocket cost and you can receive Discounts, Subsidies and Cash Reimbursements!

Faith-Based healthcare plans are sold by organizations whose members share religious beliefs and values and use these as a basis for membership and paying medical expenses.  In most cases, you are required to agree to their religious beliefs and values. WHC has no such requirements! WHC is similar, only to the fact that both WHC and Faith-based organizations do not sell insurance.

Members contribute a fixed dollar amount.  When a member of the community is ill and needs help, the organization may send out a notice to other members. Other members are asked to send money to the member so the member can pay their medical bills. The organization usually has no or limited control over the money. WHC oversees and controls all Members’ money and payment of medical bills.

Many faith-based organization do not negotiate or review your medical bills. With WHC you have a Concierge Service who reviews your medical bills for billing errors, duplicate billing, discounts and appropriate pricing. Your WHC Concierge will represent you to resolve issues with any medical provider.

WHC adds two key business practices usually not found in faith-based organizations.  First, WHC uses financial management tools and best-business practices to protect your money and receive affordable healthcare services. Second, religious beliefs are not part of WHC’s business practices and membership requirements.

There are many more differences that are explained in other FAQs.

To see typical WHC Healthcare Plan Prices, look at the following table.

To get your “WHC Healthcare Plan Price Now”: Press the “Quote-Price Request” button. You will then see the Quote Form. The Quote Form is used for Three Quote Options.

✓  Get a Quick, No Hassle Quote. Enter Your information and you will immediately see your WHC Member Price.

✓  To send out a “Bid Request”. Enter the price you will pay for your Healthcare Plan. We’ll send your “Bid” World-Wide to get Quotes. Let’s see the best price we can get!

✓  For a Custom Healthcare Quote”: We’ll search for the Best Price, Subsidies and Discounts.

Typical Member Weekly Pricing Before Discounts and Subsidies
Age – Price
< 20: $31.20
20: $36.34
25: $37.61
30: $42.52
35: $45.78
40: $47.87
45: $54.09
50: $66.90
55: $83.54
60: $99.41
65: $109.88
For a Pet Dog or Cat: $21.81

✓  You can use any Medical Provider, Any Medical Service, Anywhere in the World: No “In-Network” requirement. No limitations!

Included Popular Coverages: Traditional Medical, Dental, Vision, Hearing. Plus Holistic, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Labs, Tests & X-Rays, Vaccines, Medical Transportation and more.

✓  Prescription Medications are Reimbursed 100%: No Deductibles or Co-Pays.

✓  No Deductibles or Co-Insurance: Only a single, affordable Co-Pay.

✓  You Receive Plan Discounts From Medical Providers: For WHC Members and other people who pay on day of service. 5% to 50% from Primary Care and Urgent Care facilities. Specialists, more. To 90% for Hospitals.

✓  You Receive Plan Discounts from WHC: For Being Healthy, Having a Family, Being a Senior, Having a Low Income.

✓  Financial Subsidies:

Loss of Income Subsidy – If and when you lose your income due to a medical event, CHC will pay your CHC Healthcare Plan’s monthly price.

ACA & Group Plan Financial Subsidy – WHC will pay your ACA or Group plan’s costs when you are diagnosed with a major medical illness and an ACA or Group plan is recommended.

✓  Receive Your Personal WHC Healthcare Concierge: Helps you manage your entire Healthcare Program. Reviews your bills for possible billing errors. Locates medical service discounts and cost-effective Medical Providers. Answers your healthcare questions.

✓  Get a Community Healthcare Savings Account (CHSA): Our CHSA is similar to a federal HSA with greater benefits. Here’s a key difference. WHC matches your CHSA Contributions and pays you 5% interest on your CHSA balances.

✓  Get Sponsorship Bonuses: You can receive $100 for each person or family you Sponsor who join and purchase a WHC Healthcare Plan.

✓ ✓ Plus More… How to receive a free WHC Healthcare Plan – Contact WHC!

WHC Discounts & Financial Subsidies

✓  Healthy Discounts:  If you are healthy, we lower your WHC Plan cost.

✓  Family Discounts:  The larger your family the greater your Discount.

✓  Income Subsidies: For Lower income WHC Members.

✓  Loss of Income Subsidy:  If and when you lose your income due to a medical event, we’ll pay your monthly WHC Membership Contributions.

✓  ACA & Group Plan Financial Subsidy:  We’ll pay your ACA or Group plan’s costs when you are diagnosed with a major medical illness and an ACA or Group plan is recommended for you.

Subsidies From Other Sources

✓  Medical Providers:  Most Medical Providers will give you a discount ranging from 5% to 50% or more. Check out your Medical Providers to see what they will give you. Always tell them you want their “No Insurance – Pay on Day of Service Discount”!

✓  Your Employer:  Employers frequently subsidize the cost of an employee’s healthcare plan. Check it out.

✓  Trade Associations, Church and Fraternal Organizations:  Let us know your affiliation and we’ll check for subsidies and discounts.

✓  Federal and State Governments:  Not directly available through WHC.  However, WHC can check and make recommendations.

Yes!  Our “Meds Plus” program has:
✓  No Co-Pays
✓  No Co-Insurance
✓  No Deductibles
✓   And your Meds are Cash Reimbursement up to $1,000 per year!

Yes! –There are no “In-Network” Requirements. You can use any Medical Provider, any Medical Service, anywhere in the World!

Anyone! There are no age or relationship limitations. If you want them on your plan, they can be included. Even your pets!

First, WHC Healthcare Plans have no Deductible or Co-Insurance. WHC only has a simple and affordable Co-Pay. Health Insurance has the following costs:

Deductibles: You must pay your Deductible before the insurance company pays any of your medical bills. The only exception is for your annual wellness doctor exam. Annual Deductibles usually range between $2,000 and about $9,000 per person. Double for a family. WHC has no Deductibles!

Co-Insurance: After you pay your Deductible, most insurance plans require you to pay Co-Insurance. Your Co-Insurance amount is calculated by subtracting your Deductible from your plan’s “Annual Out of Pocket Cost”. WHC has no Co-Insurance!

For example, If your plan’s Annual Out of Pocket Cost is $8,000 and your Deductible is $2,000,
your Co-Insurance is $6,000. Co-Insurance is partially paid by you and the insurance company until you’ve paid $6,000.

Co-Pay: Your Co-Pay is the amount you pay for a medical office visit. Co-Pays are usually around $25 to $100 up to maybe $250. Note, Co-Pays and Co-Insurance are not the same.

Annual Out-of-Pocket Cost: This is the total of the Deductible plus Co-Insurance. This is your annual maximum you must pay before the insurance company pays 100% of your medical Bills.

All-In Annual Out-of-Pocket Cost: This is the cost of your monthly insurance payments plus your Annual Out-of-Pocket cost.

Example: If your monthly insurance cost is $600, your annual cost is $7,200. If you fully use and pay your plan’s Annual Out-of-Pocket cost of $8,000, your true Annual Out-of-Pocket cost is $$15,200, ($7,200 + $8,000). Also, if you have a family plan your Annual Out-of-Pocket cost may be $16,000 (2 times $8,000).

The All-In-Annual Cost is the real number you need to know and use to compare all insurance plans to a WHC Healthcare Plan.

With Insurance: Your monthly insurance payment, when paid, is gone. Your payment is not used to pay your medical bills. With WHC your Monthly Contributions are yours to pay your medical bills.

Your WHC Membership Contribution: Your Membership Contribution is deposited into a bank or credit union for you to use to pay your medical bills. The Bank’s general depository account is called the Cooperative Medical Account (“CMA”). 

When you become a WHC Member, you are given a Bank Routing Number and a WHC Account Number. Your personal Bank Account is referred to as your Member Medical Account (“MMA”).

Your MMA holds your Membership Contribution deposits and is used to pay your Medical Reimbursements, your Medical Provider’s medical costs and your WHC Member Services.

Your Membership Contribution is your method to Self-Insure, pre-pay, your future medical costs and your WHC Member Services.

Great Question! There are several methods that can be used to pay your medical bills.

✓ Initial Medical Benefit: When your WHC Healthcare Plan is first designed, you select your Initial Medical Benefit Amount.  Options are from $1,000 to $25,000. This amount is available to you on your WHC Membership’s Effective Date.

As your Membership Contributions are received, your MMA (Member Medical Account) Account Balance is increasing. If you have a medical cost that exceeds your MMA Account Balance during this build-up, your medical costs will be processed up to your Initial Medical Benefit Amount.

Your Membership Contributions will then be used to repay the money advanced. At all times you remain obligated to pay your medical costs and WHC assumes no responsibility to pay any of your medical costs.

✓ Bank Overdraft Protection: Most of our affiliated banks and Credit Unions offer Overdraft Protection. Your medical bills would be paid and the bank will establish a repayment program. WHC will guaranty the bank your repayment.

✓ WHC Benevolent Assistance: This is when we use “Crowd Funding”. Simply, other WHC Members’ use their Medical Account to pay your medical costs. We facilitate and manage this process.

✓ GoFundMe: For very large medical costs, we would suggest establishing a GoFundMe program. WHC will assist and pay your GoFundMe fees and costs. GoFundMe is crowdfunding, internet platform that allows people to raise money for various life events, including healthcare costs.

It is our mission to do everything we can to help you manage and pay your medical bills!

You have two considerations: 

➤   Your Budget:  Above all, you need to have a Healthcare Plan that you can afford to pay. The higher your Medical Benefit, the greater your Monthly Membership Contribution.

➤  Next, your Medical Benefit Amount should cover the cost of your typical Medical Services:  Below is a partial listing of typical medical treatments and costs. Costs can significantly vary among Medical Providers. These Statistics were provided by various medical and governmental groups. 

Typical Medical Treatment Costs: The following will help you make a selection. But first, we want to address the question about $100,000 medical bills.
These statistics show that almost all major illness and injury treatment costs were less than $10,000. In one case, the medical provider billed insurance $125,000. Insurance paid only $25,000, which the medical provider accepted. You can get similar reductions!

Here are some other interesting examples. Notice, no medical treatments are like the $100,000 people talk about! A Coronary Artery Stint was billed $141,902. The Medical Provider was paid $12,368 (Boulder Hospital statistics).  For a knee procedure, one hospital billed $43,672 and was paid $10,704.  For the same procedure, another hospital billed $35,846 and was paid $7,964.  This shows why you need to get and compare pricing. There are many such examples.  CRAZY!!

Urgent Care Non-Routine Medical Services:
➤  Over 100 Medical Services for under $200.
➤  Stitches: $149.50
➤  Sprains, strains & joint pain: $174.50
➤  Broken Bone: $200 to $400

Hospital Non-Routine Medical Services:
➤  Foot Surgery: $3,000 to $10,000
➤  Pulmonary Embolism: $5,439
➤  Nerve Disorders: $6,101
➤  Kidney & Urinary Tract infection: $6,519
➤  Pneumonia & Pleurisy: $6,863
➤  Rotator Cuff Surgery: $8,512
➤  Spinal Surgery: $8,800 to $29,720
➤  Major Chest Procedures: $11,489
➤  Knee Replacement Surgery: $14,088

Summary: As you can see, most major, Non-Routine Medical Services are under $10,000. The WHC Medical Benefit Options range from $1,000 to $25,000.  The popular choices are $2,500 for a tight budget, otherwise $5,000. In both cases, the Medical Benefit amount will cover all wellness and many non-routine Medical Services.  

It’s Magic…Just Kidding. Here’s How!

Let’s Use an Example: Let’s assume you  selected a $5,000 Medical Benefit. You have a Medical Service. The cost is $10,000. The Medical Provider discounts your Medical Service cost by $5,000. Your Billable Medical Service cost is $5,000.

You send WHC a $5,000 Medical Claim Reimbursement Request. After reviewing your medical documents, WHC Concierge Services approves your Request.  Your Co-Pay, processing charge is 50% of the approved Billable Amount, $2,500. WHC sends you a $2,500 Reimbursement Check. Your Medical Benefit is reduced by $2,500.

Analysis: You received $10,000 of Medical Services for a cost of only $2,500. This a 75% discount. Your Medical Benefit was decreased by $2,500 leaving you with a $2,500 Medical Benefit Account Balance. If you had another, Medical Service that was exactly the same, your Medical Benefit Account Balance would now be $0.

Here’s the “Magic”. Your $5,000 Medical Benefit paid for $20,000 of Medical Services. Your “Effective Medical Benefit” is therefore $20,000!

In a similar fashion, a $2,500 Medical Benefit would give you a $10,000 Effective Medical Benefit.

Even if the Medical Provider did not give you a discount, your $2,500 Medical Benefit would still give you $5,000 of Medical Services.

In summary: Even a $2,500 provides you good medical coverage for the type of Medical Service costs shown in FAQ 17.

This is what happens with an ACA or Group Insurance Plan

Here’s an Example – If you have a traditional ACA insurance plan with a $3,000 deductible and a $6,000 Co-Insurance cost, your total annual Out-of-Pocket cost is $9,000. NOTE, You must pay the $9,000 before your insurance pays all your medical bills!

You have a Medical Event: Let’s say you break your arm and the Medical Provider’s charges are $10,000. The same year, you have another medical event, and that cost is $5,000. In one year you have $15,000 of medical costs.

What You Pay: The insurance company reduces the $15,000 costs, to say $8,000. However, you must pay the full $8,000 because you have not yet met your $9,000 annual Out-of-Pocket cost. Your insurance paid $0!

This is what happens with a WHC Healthcare Plan

Because you are a WHC Member you can receive a “Self-Pay No-Insurance”, discount from the Medical Provider.  The Medical Provider reduces your cost from $15,000 to say $8,000, the same as the insurance company. Your bill could be reduced even more depending on the Medical Provider.

You submit the $8,000 bill to WHC. WHC reimburses you 50%, $4,000. WHC saves you $4,000 compared to a traditional insurance plan where you would have paid $8,000.

Here’s the real problem with Traditional Health Insurance! 

Many people even struggle to pay their monthly premium only to be faced with an unaffordable $9,000 or more Out-of-Pocket cost.  There’s more, with a family, the Out-of-Pocket cost is usually double, $18,000 or more. Most people don’t have $9,000 to pay the insurance company’s Annual Out-of-Pocket cost.

 This is the main reason people file a medical bankruptcy!

Now, look at your Annual All In Cost. If your monthly premium cost is $500, your annual premium cost is $6,000. Add the annual Out-of-Pocket cost, $9,000, you have an “Annual All In Cost” of $15,000.

If you can’t pay either the annual Out-of-Pocket or Monthly Cost, you shouldn’t buy the health insurance. Buy an affordable WHC Healthcare Plan!

Most people are not aware of these insurance Financial Risks. Now you do!

Avoid these Financial Risks. Purchase a WHC Healthcare Plan !

Here are the steps you should take:

✓ Go to your nearest Urgent Care Facility: Urgent Cares are usually open 24/7. They have good pricing and will usually give you a discount ranging from 5% to about 30%.

At check-in show the receptionist your World Healthcare ID Card and ask for your “No Insurance – Pay on Day of Service” discount. 

✓ At Check-Out: Pay your bill and get a Statement of Services and a copy of your payment. The Statement will show the details of your treatments. You will need to submit this form with your Medical Reimbursement Request.

✓ When You Get Home: Complete and Submit your Medical Reimbursement Request to Concierge Services along with your Statement of Services documents.

✓ Your Medical Reimbursement Request: Your WHC Concierge will review your Bills for accuracy and appropriateness. When completed, your Concierge will process your Medical Reimbursement. Your check should arrive about two weeks after your Medical Reimbursement Request is received.

DO NOT go to a Hospital or free-standing ER Facility unless you have a Life-Threatening medical issue. Your costs will be about 10 times more expensive than an Urgent Care.

Only If You Have Major Medical Issues:  You should purchase an ACA or Group plan if and when you have a medical condition requiring long term, expensive medical treatment.

Here’s a Tip!  If you have a family, and one person has a significant medical condition, have that person purchase an ACA plan.  Keep the rest of the family on a WHC Healthcare Plan.  This practice would be the most affordable way to proceed.

Below is a partial listing of typical medical treatments and costs. Costs can significantly vary among Medical Providers.

These Statistics were provided by various medical and governmental groups. The statistics show that almost all major illness and injury treatment costs were less than $10,000. In one case, the medical provider billed insurance $125,000. Insurance paid only $25,000, which the medical provider accepted. You can get similar reductions!

Urgent Care Non-Routine Medical Services:
➤  Over 100 Medical Services for under $200.
➤  Stitches: $149.50
➤  Sprains, strains & joint pain: $174.50
➤  Broken Bone: $200 to $400

Hospital Non-Routine Medical Services:
➤  Foot Surgery: $3,000 to $10,000
➤  Pulmonary Embolism: $5,439
➤  Nerve Disorders: $6,101
➤  Kidney & Urinary Tract infection: $6,519
➤  Pneumonia & Pleurisy: $6,863
➤  Rotator Cuff Surgery: $8,512
➤  Spinal Surgery: $8,800 to $29,720
➤  Major Chest Procedures: $11,489
➤  Knee Replacement Surgery: $14,088

Summary: Almost all Medical Providers will give you a discount when they don’t need to bill an insurance company and can receive their payment on the day of service.

Hospital ERs and Stand-Alone ERs should only be used for severe, life-threatening medical situations. Hospital bills will be about 10 times higher than an Urgent Care.
Typical visit or per day cost average about $3,949. Average stay cost is $15,734.

Split Plans:  Have the person with the major medical issue get an ACA or Group Plan. The rest of the family would remain on the WHC Healthcare plan.

We never recommend the entire family be on an ACA or Group Plan. The monthly and Out-of-Pocket costs are too expensive.

Yes!  However, persons who have a severe, expensive and long-term medical condition should purchase an ACA insurance plan.  These persons would not be eligible for a WHC Healthcare Plan.  This practice allows WHC to keep its Healthcare Plan’s prices low and affordable.

Some significant medical issues would be: major heart problems, severe cancer, AIDS/HIV.

Contact WHC if you have a significant medical issue to see if you qualify for WHC Membership.

Become a WHC Healthcare Advocate. Contact us for details.