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Most people think there are only two options to pay for your healthcare:
- Paying for expensive health insurance, or
- Taking their chances being uninsured
The good news? You have more options than you may realize.
For example, you can consider joining a health share. This is an affordable, nonprofit membership community where people help share in each other’s major medical expenses.
But health shares are not identical. And the best choice for you really depends on what you’re looking for.
Top Health Shares in 2027 (Quick Summary)
For 2027, I narrowed my list down using the two things I think matter most:
- No caps or limits on large eligible medical needs
- A strong reputation for taking care of members
Here are the health shares I would personally look at:
- Zion HealthShare – Best overall & best secular option
- Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) – Best long-standing Christian option (Gold + CHM Plus)
- Samaritan Ministries – Best member-to-member Christian option (with Save to Share)
- Phoenix HealthShare – Honorable mention: a new health share worth watching
Quick Comparison: Best Health Shares in 2027
| Health Share | Faith-Based? | Monthly Cost | Sharing Limits | Maternity | Pre-Existing Conditions | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zion HealthShare | No | $114–$899 | No annual or lifetime caps – built in | Pregnancy must start after 6 months of membership | Shareable after 12 months (tier-based) | Best overall, very inclusive |
| Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) | Yes – Christian | $119–$897 (plus the cost of CHM Plus, $42-$126/month) | Unlimited only with Gold + CHM Plus | Not shared for unwed women | Limited sharing on Gold tier | Christians who want a 40+ year track record |
| Samaritan Ministries | Yes – Christian | $125 – $780 (plus the cost of Save-to-Share program $133-$399/year) | Up to $500k per need; unlimited only with Save-to-Share | Not shared for unwed women; due date must be 300+ days after joining | Shareable after 12 months symptom- and treatment-free | Christians who want a personal, member-to-member model |
| Phoenix HealthShare | Faith-based, but open to all faiths | $82.45–$781.50 (up to $866.50 with all add-ons) | No annual or lifetime caps – built in | Shared when due date is 12+ months after joining | Not shared months 1–12; up to $50k months 13–24; regular sharing from month 25 | Honorable mention – too new for a track record, very inclusive |
Best Health Share Programs in 2027
Take a look at my top choices and find out for yourself what makes each one stand out.
1. Zion HealthShare (Best Overall)
Zion HealthShare continues to be my top recommended health share for 2027. It’s the health share my family has personally used since 2021, and it checks every box I care about most.
Why Zion HealthShare Stands Out
- No annual or lifetime caps on eligible medical needs – built into the membership. You don’t have to pay extra or add another program to get it.
- Fast bill processing – Zion HealthShare is known in the industry for processing medical bills quickly. I’ve seen member experiences where bills were paid before the member even left the hospital.
- No religious requirements – there’s no statement of faith to join. As long as you agree to the principles of membership, it’s an option for you.
- No network restrictions – choose the doctor or hospital you feel is right for the care you need.
- Strong maternity sharing after 6 months
- DPC-friendly option that lowers costs for people using Direct Primary Care
- [Update member count for 2027] members
- Excellent member feedback across Facebook groups, Reddit, and Google reviews
When a major medical event happens, the last thing you want to worry about is whether you’re going to hit a sharing limit. With Zion HealthShare, that’s not something you have to think about.
Zion HealthShare Member Experiences
Many members report fast processing, clear expectations, and caring support, especially during major medical events.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Just had to submit my first share request after an emergency accident for a broken wrist… ER and surgery bill totaling approx. $40K. Zion helped me get the bill to almost half and sent me a prepaid card to pay off the balance within minutes. It’s just wild/amazing after struggling with the horrible insurance world. I definitely recommend!” — Britt T.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“They covered my OB visits and labor and delivery. Zero surprises. Beautiful flowers even arrived after my son was born. It’s truly above and beyond. I HIGHLY recommend Zion — just make sure you join before you’re pregnant so it’s shareable!” — Callie H.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“We’ve been with Zion almost a year. They’ve been REALLY amazing with our maternity sharing request. We haven’t paid a dime over our IUA. Can’t recommend them enough!” — Jenny D.
Want the full details? Read my complete Zion HealthShare review.
2. Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM)
CHM is one of the oldest and largest health shares in the country. They’ve been around for more than 40 years and have a long track record of sharing medical expenses for their members.
Why CHM Stands Out
- Strong reputation and long history
- Large Christian member community
- Clear tier-based pricing
- Pre-existing conditions eligible for limited sharing on the Gold tier
The Important Detail: Unlimited Sharing Isn’t Automatic
CHM does not automatically give you unlimited sharing. To get it, you need to join the CHM Gold program with CHM Plus as an add-on.
This is the only way I would recommend CHM if unlimited sharing is important to you.
Things to Consider
- Preventive care is not shared
- Maternity is not shared for unwed women
- Each tier shares different items
- Membership requires a Christian statement of faith
If you’re looking for a Christian health share with a long history, CHM (Gold + CHM Plus) is definitely one to put on your list.
Want the full details? Read my complete Christian Healthcare Ministries review.
3. Samaritan Ministries
Samaritan Ministries is a long-established Christian health share with a large membership base and a strong track record of happy, long-term members. Some members have been with Samaritan for decades and have had positive experiences the whole way through.
Why Samaritan Ministries Stands Out
- Long history and large Christian member community
- Many long-term members with positive experiences
- Member-to-member model – your monthly share goes directly to another member with a need, which creates a very personal experience when you need help yourself
- No network restrictions
The Important Detail: Add Save to Share
Samaritan does not automatically offer unlimited sharing. Each need is shared up to $500,000 on Samaritan Classic ($497,500 on Basic). To share eligible medical needs beyond that, you have to add their Save to Share program.
Personally, I consider Save to Share a must-have if you’re going to choose Samaritan Ministries.
Want the full details? Read my complete Samaritan Ministries review.
Things to Consider
- Requires a Christian statement of faith and regular church attendance
- Each need is limited to $500,000 without Save to Share
- Maternity is not shared for unwed women
- Preventive care is not shared
Samaritan is a great fit for Christian families who value a personal, member-to-member approach, as long as you add Save to Share.
Honorable Mention: Phoenix HealthShare
Phoenix HealthShare is a new health share. Normally, I wait a few years before I even talk about a new health share on my website or YouTube channel. I want to see how they operate over time, and most importantly, how they take care of members with major medical needs.
But Phoenix HealthShare caught my attention for one very specific reason: the same person who started Zion HealthShare also started Phoenix HealthShare. Because of that, I’m expecting to see some similarities in how Phoenix grows and in the overall member experience.
Why Phoenix HealthShare Is on My Radar
- No annual or lifetime caps on eligible medical needs
- Open to people of all faiths – Phoenix is faith-based, but there’s no church or religious requirement to join
- A unique approach to pre-existing conditions – starting in month 25 of membership, pre-membership conditions are shared like any other eligible medical need. This is HUGE, especially since they have no caps or limits on large eligible medical needs.
- No network restrictions
Things to Consider
- Phoenix HealthShare is too new to have the same track record as the other health shares on this list
- Preventive care and prescriptions are only shared through optional add-ons
- I’ll be watching how their member experience develops over the next few years
I think Phoenix HealthShare could build a very similar reputation to Zion HealthShare. For now, it’s one to keep an eye on.
Want the full details? Read my complete Phoenix HealthShare review.
Who Should Consider a Health Share?
A health share might be a good fit if you are:
- Self-employed
- A small business owner
- Paying for your own healthcare
- Generally healthy
- Interested in lower monthly healthcare costs
- Comfortable being a self-pay patient
- Looking for a community-based healthcare model
My Top Pick: Zion HealthShare
After reviewing health shares for a number of years, Zion HealthShare is still the best fit for my family.
We joined in 2021, and every eligible need we’ve submitted has been taken care of exactly as their guidelines describe. No annual or lifetime caps, fast processing, no religious requirements, and no network restrictions made the decision easy.
And after years of using Zion HealthShare, we’ve seen how quickly they take care of us, for both small and larger medical bills.
All Health Shares Mentioned in My Video and Blog Post
Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM)
- Member Guidelines: https://healthshare101.com/CHMGuidelines
- Enroll: https://healthshare101.com/CHM
Samaritan Ministries
- Member Guidelines: https://samaritanministries.org/resources/classic-basic-guidelines/recent-changes
- Enroll: https://healthshare101.com/Samaritan
Zion HealthShare (My #1 Choice)
- Member Guidelines: https://healthshare101.com/ZHSGuidelines
- Enroll: https://healthshare101.com/Zion
Phoenix HealthShare (Honorable Mention)
- Member Guidelines: https://phoenixhealthshare.org/guidelines
- Enroll: https://healthshare101.com/Phoenix
Some of these links may be affiliate links. If you enroll through one of my links, it doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help me keep creating free content like this. Thank you for supporting my work!
Which Health Share Is Right for You?
None of these health shares is automatically the right choice for everyone. Take time to read the member guidelines so you understand what is and isn’t eligible for sharing, and what your responsibilities would be as a member.
Comparing costs, guidelines, and how each program works is the best way to find a good fit for your family.
Health shares are not insurance and do not offer insurance coverage. Membership in a health share does not guarantee the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses. Each organization operates under its own membership guidelines, which determine what expenses may be eligible for sharing. This publication is for informational purposes only and is not provided by an insurance company. For state-specific notices and full program details, please visit the respective health share’s official website.
Have you found any holistic health share plans?
I’m really getting sick of paying for health insurance for “emergencies” while paying thousands for my deductible that doesn’t cover all the natural doctors I actually want to see? And it seems with Zion that is the same, it’s western medical care. Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa,
I have found that Health Share plans like Zion HealthShare will share in holistic or natural doctors for annual wellness visits (up to $250/no lab work included) and for larger medical needs (after written approval and after your IUA has been paid).
This means that if you had cancer and wanted to work with natural and holistic doctors, you would contact Zion HealthShare, obtain written approval for this, and then proceed with sharing after your IUA has been met.
I have also found that with the money I am saving each month with Zion HealthShare, I have more money to pay for things like organic food, regular massages, high quality supplements, chiropractor visits, gym equipment, etc. to be more proactive about my family’s health.
You can also look into a Direct Primary Care (DPC) office that is more holistic. If you join one, you can save with Zion HealthShare since you would go from a Direct Membership to an Essential membership. This just means that you would go to your DPC for things like annual visits, blood work, and most of your healthcare needs. You would only use Zion HealthShare for the large and unexpected medical needs.
You can check out my article here about how that all works: https://healthshare101.com/zion-health-is-perfect-for-dpc-members/
Let me know if you have any more questions. I am happy to help!
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hello –
I am looking for heath-share plan for a 74 years old female (widow). This female does not have access to Medicare/SS.
what options does she have ? It seems Sedera and Zion don’t accept anyone above 64 🙁
Thanks!
Hi Raman,
It looks like the best Health Share plan for people over 65 years old would be with Medi-Share 65+ program. You can review this to see if it is a good fit for your friend: https://www.medishare.com/sixty-five
CHM also has something for seniors over 65 years old, but it looks like it must be paired with Medicare. You can read more about that here: https://www.chministries.org/how-it-works/my-medical-needs/medicare/
I hope your friend finds something that works for her soon 🙂
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hi,
I checked Medi-Share 65+ program as you suggested. That also needs Medicare A&B.
are there any options for a 74 year old who is not eligible for Medicare/SS.
Thanks,
Raman
Hi Raman,
The only option (that I know of) would be to get health insurance coverage in the Marketplace. You can check eligibility here: https://www.healthcare.gov/quick-guide/eligibility/
I’m sorry that a health share plan is not a good solution for your friend, but I hope she finds something suitable for her needs!
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Have you compared employer based health sharing programs.
Not specifically for employers, but the recommendations here are a really great place to start looking at your options. I will be sure to make a new post for this specifically 🙂
-Holly
HealthShare101.com
Why don’t you compare Impact here when it seems to be more comparable with Zion?
Hi Dana,
I am currently doing a more in-depth review of Impact Health Sharing, and updating all of the Health Share’s information to make sure they are all up to date.
For now, Zion Health Share is still the top Health Share that I recommend, based on overall price and value for what you get as a member.
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
My husband and I must find an alternative to costly private health insurance. We used CHM years ago and were happy with it. We are now in our early 50’s and will need routine preventative things like colonoscopies and such. It gets muddled when looking at reviews because they differ so much with all share plans, this is how I came across your sight. We understand how share plans work and are not new to submitting our visits and such, but I wanted to see if you think Zion is a good choice for us at this stage. My husband does have pre existing high blood pressure, but that is all we have going on at this time. Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Darby,
With Zion HealthShare, Annual wellness visits are available right away, and preventative procedures like Colonoscopies are sharable after six months of membership. Also, High blood pressure is not considered pre-existing (with Zion) if you have it controlled with lifestyle and/or medication and have not been hospitalized for it in the last 12 months. Zion HealthShare seems to be a good fit for you.
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Do you have any thoughts/opinions on Knew Health? That seems to be the one I keep coming back too, however, this will be the first time our family chooses a health share program so I am still in research mode. It seems to be pretty comparable to Zion, but for some reason it’s not really talked about despite the raving reviews.
Hi Katelyn,
In the past, KnewHealth was just an affiliate of Sedera. They are now their own Health Share. In the limited time I have communicated with them, it wasn’t the best experience. I still stand by my choices in this article.
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hi Holly,
Your site is a great resource and provides a lot of information, thank you! I wanted to go with Zion, however they aren’t currently offering their plans to residents of Washington state. The same is also true for many of the other secular health sharing companies. Do you have any recommendation for one who does accept Washington state residents? A Christian ministry might work, as long as there faith statement doesn’t require regular church attendance.
Hi Eddie,
I would look into Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) since they are reputable and they don’t say that regular church attendance is one of their requirements to join. You will want to review their statement of faith to make sure they align with you. You can also compare all of the Christian Health Share’s religious requirements here: https://healthshare101.com/christian-healthshare-plans/
Best of luck,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hello, can you please explain the 3 $1000 deductibles that Zion has? It seems Medishare could be a better option at only $2500. I have also heard Medishare takes a while to pay your bill where Zion is very quick. Thoughts on this?
Hi Daniel,
Medi-Share: The Annual Household Portion (AHP) is the dollar amount that a Member Household agrees to pay toward Eligible Medical Bills before any eligible bills may be shared among the Members. Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share) has several AHP amounts: $3000, $6000, $9000, and $12000. The AHP amount resets every 12 months on the Effective Date.
Zion HealthShare: The initial unshareable amount, or IUA, is the amount that a member will pay before the Zion HealthShare community shares in medical expenses. The IUA is also known as your personal responsibility. Zion HealthShare has three primary levels of personal responsibility: $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000. The lower your personal responsibility (or IUA), the higher your monthly contribution will be.
All qualifying medical expenses submitted after the IUA is met are shareable with the Zion HealthShare community at one hundred percent. There is no annual or lifetime limit. For each separate need, the Zion HealthShare community will share medical costs after the IUA is met. You will not need to pay the IUA for a single need again until you are symptom free for 12 months. Additionally, you will not be responsible for more than three IUAs in a rolling 12-month period.
Medi-Share’s $3,000 AHP is similar to Zion HealthShare’s $1,000 IUA, as far as how much money is the member’s responsibility before the Health Share pays for eligible medical bills. This article includes a simple video explaining how it works using some examples: https://healthshare101.com/what-does-a-healthshare-iua-mean/
Both plans have No Lifetime Or Annual Sharing Limits which I think is very important. And yes, Zion HealthShare is known for paying for medical bills quickly, which is a huge win (and one of the reasons why I joined them).
In the end, it just really depends on which membership you feel most comfortable with joining.
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hi Holly,
With Zion, do you submit any medical bills to reach the IUA and let them sort it out? Just trying to figure out when Zion knows you’ve reached the IUA?
Roger,
I keep ALL of the itemized bill(s) AND receipt(s) showing that I have paid. If I think/know a specific medical event is going to go over my IUA, I would start a “need” and start submitting the information, even if I haven’t yet reached my IUA (personally, I’d probably call and let them know what’s coming). Once my expenses/receipts reaches my IUA, Zion Health Share would take care of the rest of the eligible medical expenses, including negotiating costs for me. At that point, I would just start submitting the itemized bills and they would handle payment.
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Thank you
Hi, do any of the health shares cover anything like chiropractor adjustments? Thanks!
Hi Troy,
Most Health Shares will only share in Chiropractic adjustments if it’s part of a larger medical need (such as after a car accident that required a hospital stay, therapy, and chiropractic care, etc).
Thank you,
Holly
HealthShare101.com
Hey! I found your page from a comment you left on CrowdHealth’s instagram page and was wondering why they didn’t make your list? I am researching a few options and was wondering. Also wondering which of the health shares you listed above are you affiliated with?
Hi Bella,
CrowdHealth is not a Health Share, which is why it didn’t make my list for top Health Shares 🙂 I am affiliated with both Zion HealthShare (which is the one my family joined) as well as Sedera. I wish I could be an affiliate with CHM but they only offer to those who are members with them (and I am not leaving Zion HealthShare!).
I gotta sleep at night so I won’t recommend a Health Share unless they do a great job.
Thank you,
Holly
Thanks
You are welcome! I hope it was helpful for you 🙂
-Holly
Hi I need full medical coverage for me and my family . Please suggest me a complete payment plan and easy claim process . Thanks
Hi Debra,
I recommend checking out this blog post and video I made here: https://healthshare101.com/what-to-do-if-you-cant-afford-health-insurance/
Health shares are not “full medical coverage” because they are NOT health insurance. If you go through my videos you will understand better if a health share is right for you and your family.
Thank you,
Holly
I have both diabetes and heart issues. Is there a single plan that supports both condition.
HI Jerry,
Some health shares will allow diabetes (and not considere it pre-existing) as long as you haven’t been hospitalized because of it in the last 12-24 months. As far as your heart condition goes, it will depend on your individual situation. Every health share will consider it “pre-existing” or “pre-membership”, which means anything related to it in the next 12 months or longer will NOT be eligible for sharing. After that, there is limitations for at least the first 4 years of membership or for the duration of your membership. So it really depends on whether this heart condition is likely to result in large medical bills – and how soon? I would advise deep diving in the pre-existing conditions sections of any health share that you are considering before joining. A health share may not be an ideal fit for your heart condition.