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Health sharing

Health sharing, with the fine print first.

Sharing programs can cost less each month than insurance. They are not insurance, they can limit pre-existing conditions for years, and they don’t have to pay any bill. Here is how they work, and every program we track, ranked for your answers without payment data.

  • Prices dated and sourced
  • Legal history shown
  • Ranked without payment data
See the programsGet matched

How it works

A membership, not a policy.

Members pay a monthly amount. When someone has a big bill, the program decides under its own guidelines whether the bill is shared. That is the whole trade-off: a lower price for less certainty.

You pay first

Most programs have an amount you pay on each need (often $500 to $5,000) before sharing starts. It works like a deductible, but per need.

Conditions wait

A condition you already have is usually shared only after one to five years, and some are never shared. Insurance covers them now.

No legal promise

State insurance departments don’t regulate sharing, and no program has to pay a bill. A few have faced regulators and courts; we show that history.

It may suit you if

  • You are healthy and want a lower monthly cost
  • You likely won’t qualify for help paying Marketplace premiums
  • You can cover the amount you pay first on each need

Look at the Marketplace first if

  • You or someone in your home has a health condition
  • You are pregnant or planning to be
  • Your income may qualify you for premium help
  • You are 65 or older: see Medicare
  • You live in CA, DC, MA, NJ or RI (state penalty)

More detail: health sharing vs insurance · our health-sharing disclosure

The directory

Every program we track, ranked for you.

Answer as much or as little as you like. The order comes from one published formula: 35% fit to your answers, 20% cost, 20% protection, 15% track record and 10% transparency. Fees are never an input.

Clear

Your answers stay in this page’s address only. We don’t save them, and we never pass them to any company.

Your ranked options

12 shown · ranked without payment data · how we rank

  1. #1

    ACA Marketplace plan

    Listed — no business relationship
    Insurance (ACA)

    Regulated health insurance. Covers pre-existing conditions, and you may get help paying.

    Price
    Varies by age, ZIP and income. Subsidies may lower it. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    Deductible and a yearly out-of-pocket maximum set by the plan.
    Pre-existing conditions
    Covered from day one. Insurers cannot deny you or charge more for a condition.
    Faith requirement
    No faith requirement.
    Visit ACA Marketplace plan 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

  2. #2

    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.
    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

    Full Samaritan Ministries profile and sources
  3. #3

    Christian Healthcare Ministries

    Listed — no business relationship
    Health care sharing ministryNot insurance

    A Christian sharing ministry with low per-unit prices and a $125k per-illness cap.

    Price
    From $115/mo per unit (Bronze); a family is 2–3 units. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    $1,250 (Gold) to $6,000 (Bronze) per incident. $125k per-illness cap without CHM Plus.
    Pre-existing conditions
    Active conditions not shared; clears after 1 year without symptoms (5 years for cancer).
    Faith requirement
    Christian statement of beliefs and regular worship.
    Visit Christian Healthcare 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

    Full Christian Healthcare Ministries profile and sources
  4. #4

    Altrua HealthShare

    Listed — no business relationship
    Sharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Not insurance

    A long-running sharing program with published tiers and included office visits.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    From $136/mo (Ruby) to $356/mo (Diamond), one person. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    Member responsibility $500 to $7,500 (unverified).
    Pre-existing conditions
    2–5 years depending on program (unverified).
    Faith requirement
    Statement of Standards (biblical ethics); no creed to sign.

    Legal history: 2011: An Idaho order against Altrua was reversed by the Idaho Supreme Court. Reversed. Source: Secondary reports (source link pending verification). We show this because it may affect whether your bills are shared.

    Visit Altrua HealthShare 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

    Full Altrua HealthShare profile and sources
  5. #5

    Liberty HealthShare

    Listed — no business relationship
    Health care sharing ministryNot insurance

    A Christian sharing ministry with low entry prices and significant legal history.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    From $89/mo (Freedom, age 35 and under); Essential $160–$221/mo single. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    Annual unshared amount $1k to $12k plus co-share, by program.
    Pre-existing conditions
    1-year wait; months 13–36 up to $50k; then unrestricted (Essential/Connect).
    Faith requirement
    Statement of beliefs acknowledging Jesus Christ.
    Where
    Not open to new members in NM.

    Legal history: 2023-02-22: New Mexico issued a cease order and a $2.51M fine against Liberty HealthShare; the 10th Circuit affirmed on 2025-02-27. A Supreme Court petition (No. 25-113) was pending; a federal RICO class action survived dismissal in 2024. Source: 10th Circuit opinion. We show this because it may affect whether your bills are shared.

    Visit Liberty HealthShare 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

    Full Liberty HealthShare profile and sources
  6. #6

    Zion HealthShare

    Listed — no business relationship
    Medical cost sharing (not a ministry)Not insurance

    Secular cost sharing with published prices. Not insurance and not a ministry.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    From $114/mo for one person. Family by quote. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    IUA $1,250 / $2,500 / $5,000, up to 3 per rolling 12 months.
    Pre-existing conditions
    24-month look-back. Year 1 $0, year 2 $25k, year 3 $50k, year 4+ $125k. Controlled hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes are exempt.
    Faith requirement
    No faith requirement.
    Where
    Not open to new members in WA.

    Legal history: 2023-12-19: Washington’s insurance regulator fined Zion HealthShare $50,000 and ordered it to stop selling unauthorized insurance. Upheld by the Washington Court of Appeals on 2026-02-05. Zion no longer enrolls in Washington. Source: Washington OIC. 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 Zion HealthShare 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

    Full Zion HealthShare profile and sources
  7. #7

    Direct Primary Care (DPC)

    Listed — no business relationship
    Primary-care membership

    A flat monthly fee for primary care. Pair it with a plan that covers big bills.

    Price
    Typically about $80–$100 per adult per month (varies by clinic). (as of 2026-10-15, unverified; source)
    You pay first
    n/a — covers primary care only, not hospital bills.
    Pre-existing conditions
    Primary care for existing conditions is included.
    Faith requirement
    No faith requirement.
    Visit Direct Primary Care (DPC) 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

    Full Direct Primary Care (DPC) profile and sources
  8. #8

    CrowdHealth

    Listed — no business relationship
    Crowdfunding (not insurance)Not insurance

    A crowdfunding platform for medical bills. Payment is not guaranteed.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    About $165/mo single under 55 (October 2026 typical: $60 fee plus a monthly "ask"). (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    $500 per event ($3,000 for pregnancy). Funding is not guaranteed.
    Pre-existing conditions
    Not fundable in years 1–2; up to $25k per year from year 3.
    Faith requirement
    No faith requirement.

    Legal history: The Maryland Insurance Administration issued a consumer advisory warning about the risks of CrowdHealth. Advisory only; no cease-and-desist or lawsuit found. Source: Maryland Insurance Administration. 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 CrowdHealth 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

    Full CrowdHealth profile and sources
  9. #9

    Solidarity HealthShare

    Listed — no business relationship
    Catholic sharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Not insurance

    A Catholic sharing program with low prices and a serious complaint record.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    From $72/mo (SHIELD); ONE from $97/mo. Families from $294. (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    Annual unshared amount $3k–$12k (unverified).
    Pre-existing conditions
    24-month look-back (60 months for cancer); possible permanent waivers.
    Faith requirement
    Statement of shared (Catholic) beliefs.

    Complaint record: BBB shows "Not Rated" with an alert and 157 complaints in 3 years, and members have reported bills unpaid for 2+ years.

    Visit Solidarity HealthShare 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

    Full Solidarity HealthShare profile and sources
  10. #10

    Sedera

    Listed — no business relationship
    Medical cost sharing (not a ministry)Not insurance

    Secular cost sharing with several state actions in its history.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    From $166/mo single (ages 18–29, $5k IUA). (as of 2026-03-01; source)
    You pay first
    IUA $500 to $5,000, up to 3 per year.
    Pre-existing conditions
    36-month look-back: year 1 $0, year 2 $15k, year 3 $30k, then full.
    Faith requirement
    Secular ethical beliefs.
    Where
    Not open to new members in WA, VT, PA, NM, CA.

    Legal history: 2025-03-14: California’s Attorney General announced a $1.3M settlement over health plans falsely advertised as non-insurance; Sedera is barred from California. Also faced actions in Washington (2022, $50k), Vermont (2019) and Alaska (2019, withdrawn). Source: California Attorney General. 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 Sedera 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

    Full Sedera profile and sources
  11. #11

    Medi-Share

    Listed — no business relationship
    Health care sharing ministryNot insurance

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

    • Track record: see legal history.
    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.

    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

    Full Medi-Share profile and sources
  12. #12

    OneShare Health

    Listed — no business relationship
    Sharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Not insurance

    A sharing program from the Aliera/Unity lineage. Read its legal history first.

    • Track record: see legal history.
    Price
    “As low as” $65/mo (OneShare’s own figure). (as of 2026-10-15; source)
    You pay first
    Not published.
    Pre-existing conditions
    Not published on the public page.
    Faith requirement
    Statement of beliefs.
    Where
    Not open to new members in WA, VT, WI, MD, NM.

    Legal history: 2021: Washington’s insurance regulator fined OneShare $150,000 in a consent order for selling illegal insurance; it left Washington. A related class settlement (Duncan v. Aliera) pays part of approved claims. Source: Washington OIC. We show this because it may affect whether your bills are shared.

    Visit OneShare Health 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

    Full OneShare Health profile and sources

Not in your list, and why

  • Knew HealthNot available in your state.
  • Presidio Healthcare (FortressPlan)Not available in your state.

Our founder’s pick (not part of the ranking above)

A doctor holds a video visit with a patient on a laptop.
Photo shows a model, not an MPB Health member.

MPB Health

Founder-affiliated · We may earn a referral feeNot insurance

Why our founder picks it: every individual MPB membership includes $0 virtual urgent, primary and behavioral care, there is an HSA-compatible option, and MPB publishes its starting prices.

  • Essentialsfrom $50/moVirtual care and discounts. No medical cost sharing.
  • Care+from $166/moCost sharing after your member responsibility amount, plus virtual care.
  • Directfrom $201/moAdds preventive sharing.
  • MPB Flowfrom $179/moSharing with no network.
  • MPB Flow + HSAfrom $248/moHSA-compatible option.

MPB’s published starting prices for one person, checked 2026-10-15 (source). Prices vary by age, household and member responsibility amount.

Health care sharing programs are not insurance. They are not regulated by state insurance departments, do not have to pay any medical bill, are not subject to ACA protections (essential health benefits, pre-existing condition coverage, annual and lifetime limit rules), and members do not get ACA premium tax credits for them. Members remain responsible for their own bills.

California, DC, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island have their own coverage requirement, and you may owe a state tax penalty without qualifying coverage. Only health care sharing ministries operating since 1999 can qualify for an exemption; medical cost-sharing programs do not.

See MPB Health plans(opens in a new tab)How we make money

Compare with the ranked options above before you decide.

The same options, side by side.

How the options differ (facts as of each company’s published terms)
CompanyTypeFaith testPrice from (one person)You pay firstPre-existingWhere
ACA Marketplace planListed — no business relationshipInsurance (ACA)NoQuote / variesas of 2026-10-15Deductible and a yearly out-of-pocket maximum set by the plan.Covered from day one. Insurers cannot deny you or charge more for a condition.All states
Samaritan MinistriesListed — no business relationshipHealth care sharing ministryStatement of faith, regular church attendance and pastor verification.$98/moas of 2026-08-01Classic $1,000 per need; Basic $2,000 then 90% sharing.Eligible after 12 months without symptoms; 5 years for cancer and heart conditions. Type 1 diabetes is not eligible.All states
Christian Healthcare MinistriesListed — no business relationshipHealth care sharing ministryChristian statement of beliefs and regular worship.$115/moas of 2026-10-15$1,250 (Gold) to $6,000 (Bronze) per incident. $125k per-illness cap without CHM Plus.Active conditions not shared; clears after 1 year without symptoms (5 years for cancer).All states
Altrua HealthShareListed — no business relationshipSee legal historySharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Statement of Standards (biblical ethics); no creed to sign.$136/moas of 2026-10-15Member responsibility $500 to $7,500 (unverified).2–5 years depending on program (unverified).All states
Liberty HealthShareListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyHealth care sharing ministryStatement of beliefs acknowledging Jesus Christ.$89/moas of 2026-10-15Annual unshared amount $1k to $12k plus co-share, by program.1-year wait; months 13–36 up to $50k; then unrestricted (Essential/Connect).Not in NM
Zion HealthShareListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyMedical cost sharing (not a ministry)No$114/moas of 2026-10-15IUA $1,250 / $2,500 / $5,000, up to 3 per rolling 12 months.24-month look-back. Year 1 $0, year 2 $25k, year 3 $50k, year 4+ $125k. Controlled hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes are exempt.Not in WA
Direct Primary Care (DPC)Listed — no business relationshipPrimary-care membershipNo$90/moas of 2026-10-15n/a — covers primary care only, not hospital bills.Primary care for existing conditions is included.All states
CrowdHealthListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyCrowdfunding (not insurance)No$165/moas of 2026-10-15$500 per event ($3,000 for pregnancy). Funding is not guaranteed.Not fundable in years 1–2; up to $25k per year from year 3.All states
Solidarity HealthShareListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyCatholic sharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Statement of shared (Catholic) beliefs.$72/moas of 2026-10-15Annual unshared amount $3k–$12k (unverified).24-month look-back (60 months for cancer); possible permanent waivers.All states
SederaListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyMedical cost sharing (not a ministry)Secular ethical beliefs.$166/moas of 2026-03-01IUA $500 to $5,000, up to 3 per year.36-month look-back: year 1 $0, year 2 $15k, year 3 $30k, then full.Not in WA, VT, PA, NM, CA
Medi-ShareListed — no business relationshipSee legal historyHealth care sharing ministryStatement of faith; a church leader may be contacted.Quote / variesas of 2025-10Annual household portion $3k / $6k / $9k / $12k; no annual or lifetime limits.Up to $100k per year after 36 months; $500k per year after 60 months.All states
OneShare HealthListed — no business relationshipSee legal historySharing ministry (claims HCSM status)Statement of beliefs.$65/moas of 2026-10-15Not published.Not published on the public page.Not in WA, VT, WI, MD, NM

Know the labels

Five kinds of company, one word: sharing.

Companies use similar names for very different things. The kind tells you what rules apply.

Health care sharing ministry (HCSM)
A faith-based nonprofit that has shared medical bills continuously since before 2000. Only these can qualify for the state-mandate exemption. Members agree to a statement of faith or standards.
Medical cost sharing
The same idea without the ministry status, often with no faith test. These programs do not qualify for mandate exemptions, and regulators have treated some as unlicensed insurance.
Crowdfunding
Members fund each other’s large bills through an app. Funding is not guaranteed and pre-existing conditions are not fundable at first.
Membership services
A company that bundles virtual care and perks with access to someone else’s sharing program. Read whose guidelines govern the sharing.
Direct primary care
A flat monthly fee to a primary-care practice. It is not catastrophic protection; pair it with a plan that covers hospital bills.

Questions

Good questions, short answers.

Is health sharing the same as health insurance?

No. Health care sharing programs are not insurance. They are not regulated by state insurance departments, do not have to pay any medical bill, are not subject to ACA protections (essential health benefits, pre-existing condition coverage, annual and lifetime limit rules), and members do not get ACA premium tax credits for them. Members remain responsible for their own bills.

Can a health-sharing program refuse to pay a bill?

Yes. Programs share bills under their own guidelines, and none of them is legally required to pay a given bill. Read the guidelines for limits, waiting periods and services that are never shared before you join.

Do health-sharing programs cover pre-existing conditions?

Usually only after a wait. Many programs share little or nothing for a condition in the first year and phase in over two to five years. For example, Zion HealthShare shares $0 in year one and up to $125,000 per year from year four, and Medi-Share shares up to $100,000 a year after 36 months. ACA Marketplace plans cover pre-existing conditions from day one.

Source: Each program’s published guidelines, checked 2026-10-15

Will I owe a state tax penalty if I join a sharing program?

California, DC, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island have their own coverage requirement, and you may owe a state tax penalty without qualifying coverage. Only health care sharing ministries operating since 1999 can qualify for an exemption; medical cost-sharing programs do not.

How do you rank the programs, and does anyone pay you?

Our formula uses only the answers you give and our dated facts: 35% fit to your answers, 20% expected cost, 20% protection strength, 15% track record and 10% transparency. Fees are never an input. Today we have no signed referral agreement with any company on this page, so every card is labelled Listed. Our founder is the Chief Technology Officer of MPB Health, so MPB is left out of the ranking and shown separately, with that disclosure. MPB Health is not insurance; its cost sharing is administered through Zion HealthShare (see the disclosure next to it).

When can I join?

Sharing programs take new members all year. ACA Marketplace open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov; enroll by Dec 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1. Some state exchanges set other dates.

Source: HealthCare.gov: dates and deadlines

I’m 65 or older. Should I look at health sharing?

No. Medicare is your coverage path, and we don’t show health-sharing programs or referral links to Medicare visitors. Our Medicare guide is at olyronmedicare.com.

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Still deciding

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