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Medi-Share vs Samaritan

Medi-Share and Samaritan Ministries solve the same problem in different ways. Medi-Share is a long-running Christian health care sharing ministry. Members select an Annual Household Portion (AHP) — the amount they cover before sharing begins — and eligible bills are shared from the community. It requires a statement of Christian faith and a lifestyle agreement. Medi-Share is not insurance; it has a large member base and an established track record, but the usual sharing caveats on pre-existing conditions and non-covered services apply. By contrast, Samaritan Ministries is a Christian health care sharing ministry with a distinctive direct-sharing model: members are frequently assigned to send their monthly share straight to another member with an eligible need, along with notes of encouragement. It requires a statement of faith. Like all sharing, it is not insurance, does not guarantee payment, and limits pre-existing conditions — but its community ethos is a defining feature for members. Below we compare them on cost, coverage, eligibility, and who each one fits best — with sources you can check.

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Before you compare

Side by side

How they differ, factor by factor.

Medi-Share compared with Samaritan
FactorMedi-ShareSamaritan
Typical monthly costApprox. $200-$650/mo by household and AHP (a share, not a premium)Approx. $150-$530/mo by household (a share, not a premium)
Relative cost$$·$··
CategoryHealth sharing organizationHealth sharing organization
Is it insurance?No — a membershipNo — a membership
ACA-compliant major medicalNoNo
Covers pre-existing conditionsLimitedLimited
EligibilityRequires a statement of Christian faith and lifestyle agreement.Requires a statement of Christian faith and lifestyle agreement.
Best forPracticing Christian households; Members wanting an established ministryPracticing Christian households; Members who value direct community

Medi-Share

Medi-Share is a long-running Christian health care sharing ministry. Members select an Annual Household Portion (AHP) — the amount they cover before sharing begins — and eligible bills are shared from the community. It requires a statement of Christian faith and a lifestyle agreement. Medi-Share is not insurance; it has a large member base and an established track record, but the usual sharing caveats on pre-existing conditions and non-covered services apply.

Pros

  • Large, established community
  • Multiple AHP tiers
  • Telehealth included
  • Nationwide

Cons

  • Not insurance
  • Faith requirement
  • Pre-existing limits

Samaritan

Samaritan Ministries is a Christian health care sharing ministry with a distinctive direct-sharing model: members are frequently assigned to send their monthly share straight to another member with an eligible need, along with notes of encouragement. It requires a statement of faith. Like all sharing, it is not insurance, does not guarantee payment, and limits pre-existing conditions — but its community ethos is a defining feature for members.

Pros

  • Strong community model
  • Nationwide, no network
  • Lower cost for the healthy

Cons

  • Not insurance
  • Faith requirement
  • Direct-send process is hands-on
  • Pre-existing limits

Dated company facts

The companies, checked and sourced.

Prices, the amount you pay first, pre-existing rules and any legal history, each with the date we checked it.

Medi-Share

Listed — no business relationship
Health care sharing ministryNot insurance

The largest Christian sharing ministry, with no annual or lifetime limits.

Price
Quote only. Medi-Share’s own example: $362/mo at a $12k household portion. (as of 2025-10; source)
You pay first
Annual household portion $3k / $6k / $9k / $12k; no annual or lifetime limits.
Pre-existing conditions
Up to $100k per year after 36 months; $500k per year after 60 months.
Faith requirement
Statement of faith; a church leader may be contacted.

Legal history: 2010: The Kentucky Supreme Court held Medi-Share was insurance under Kentucky law. Later resolved by a Kentucky safe-harbor law. Source: Insurance Journal. We show this because it may affect whether your bills are shared.

Not insurance. Payment of medical bills is not guaranteed. What that means

Visit Medi-Share site(opens in a new tab)

We have no business relationship with this company. This link goes straight to its site with no tracking. How we make money

Samaritan Ministries

Listed — no business relationship
Health care sharing ministryNot insurance

A long-running Christian sharing ministry with a strong complaint record.

Price
From $98/mo (REDEEM Essential); Classic from $210/mo. (as of 2026-08-01; source)
You pay first
Classic $1,000 per need; Basic $2,000 then 90% sharing.
Pre-existing conditions
Eligible after 12 months without symptoms; 5 years for cancer and heart conditions. Type 1 diabetes is not eligible.
Faith requirement
Statement of faith, regular church attendance and pastor verification.

Not insurance. Payment of medical bills is not guaranteed. What that means

Visit Samaritan Ministries site(opens in a new tab)

We have no business relationship with this company. This link goes straight to its site with no tracking. How we make money

Every sharing program, ranked for your answersFilter by state, budget, faith and pre-existing conditions.

Questions

Short answers, with sources.

Is Medi-Share or Samaritan cheaper?

Samaritan typically has the lower monthly cost (approx. $150-$530/mo by household (a share, not a premium)), while Medi-Share runs higher (approx. $200-$650/mo by household and ahp (a share, not a premium)). The cheaper option is not automatically better — weigh the coverage trade-offs below.

What is the main difference between Medi-Share and Samaritan?

One of the largest Christian medical cost-sharing programs, organized around an Annual Household Portion. A Christian sharing ministry where members often send shares directly to one another.

Is Medi-Share real insurance?

No. Medi-Share is not insurance — it does not guarantee payment and typically limits pre-existing conditions. If you need the legal protections and guaranteed benefits of insurance, an ACA-compliant plan is the safer choice.

Sources

OLYRON HealthMatch is free to use. We may be paid when we connect you with a licensed advisor, and some companies we list may pay us a referral fee if you enroll. Payments never change the order of our comparisons or ratings. Our methodology

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