Faith-Based Healthcare Alternatives
What health care sharing ministries are, how the model works, and what to check before you join one. An educational overview, not an endorsement.
Sharing Medical Bills Instead of Buying a Policy
Health care sharing ministries are membership programs built around shared ethical or religious beliefs. Members contribute each month and voluntarily share one another's eligible medical bills. They are not insurance, they do not accept risk, and they do not guarantee that any bill will be paid.
We do not endorse any of these programs. This guide explains how they work, what they ask of their members, and where to start your own research, so you can weigh the option with clear eyes.
First published in 2018. A refreshed edition is planned; some figures inside reflect the rules in effect at publication.
- What a health care sharing ministry is, in plain English
- How sharing programs differ from health insurance, including what is never guaranteed
- The membership and lifestyle commitments most ministries require
- Questions worth asking before you join any sharing program
- A directory of the larger ministries with websites and phone numbers
What You'll Learn
What a Sharing Ministry Is
Membership programs where people with shared ethical or religious beliefs voluntarily share medical bills. A plain-English look at how the model actually works.
Not Insurance, and Why That Matters
Sharing ministries do not use actuaries, do not accept risk, and do not guarantee that any bill will be shared. We spell out what that means for you in practice.
What Ministries Ask of Members
Most programs require a statement of belief and lifestyle commitments, and requirements differ from one ministry to the next. Know what you are agreeing to before you join.
Where to Start Your Research
A directory of the larger sharing ministries with websites and phone numbers, plus the questions worth asking any program before you commit.
Get the Full Guide
The complete guide with a plain-English overview of health care sharing ministries and a directory to start your own research. No email required. No strings attached.
5 pages. Takes about 5 minutes to read.