Christian Health Share Plans

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Health Shares began in the 1980s when a beloved pastor in Ohio was in a terrible car accident. The pastor’s congregation came together to pay for all of his medical bills in less than two months. This same church community decided to continue following the biblical mandate to “bear one another’s burdens” by sharing healthcare costs within their Christian community.

Today, Health Share members across the country share in one another’s medical expenses in a similar way. Health Shares have been proven to be an effective alternative to traditional Health Insurance.

Health Share members get to enjoy the freedom, flexibility, save money, and the stability of a medical cost sharing community.

I have listed each of the Christian Health Shares and their religious requirements to join their Health Share organization.

Altrua HealthShare

Altrua HealthShare members agree to live a clean and healthy lifestyle and share a set of ethical and religious beliefs.

Statement of Standards:

We care for one another.
We keep our bodies clean and healthy with proper nutrition.
We believe the use of any form of tobacco, illicit drugs and excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the body and soul.
We believe sexual relations outside the bond of marriage is contrary to the teachings of the Bible and that marriage should be held in honor.
We believe abortion is wrong, except in a life-threatening situation to the mother.
We care for our families and physical, mental or emotional abuse of any kind to a family member or anyone else is morally wrong.

Source: Altrua HealthShare Statement of Standards

Christian Care Ministry (Medi-Share)

Medi-Share Membership is built on a foundation of like ideals agreed upon by the Members. The peace of mind of knowing the people sharing your contributions are not using your money for things that conflict with your faith is a blessing many Members enjoy.

All adult Members age 18 and older must attest to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Adult Members profess the following Statement of Faith to qualify for Medi-Share membership:
• I believe that there is only one God eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus is God, in equal standing with the Father and the Holy Spirit.(1)

• I believe the Bible is God’s written revelation to mankind, divinely given through human authors who were inspired with the Holy Spirit. It is completely authoritative and entirely true. (2)

•I believe in the deity of Jesus Christ—who existed as God before anything was created, His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death on the cross to provide for our redemption, bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven, present ministry of intercession for us and His return to earth in power and glory. He is the world’s only Savior and is the Lord of all. (3)

• I believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, that He performs the miracle of new birth in an unbeliever and indwells believers, enabling them to live a godly life. (4)

• I believe man was created in the image of God, but because of sin was alienated from God. Alienation can be removed by accepting God’s gift of salvation by grace through faith which was made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection. This faith will be evidenced by the works that we do. (5)

All Members agree to the following:
• Live by biblical standards
• Believers are to bear one another’s burdens
• Attend and actively support a fellowship of believers regularly

(1) Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 2:19, Colossians 1:15-20, 2-9
(2) 2 Timothy 3:16-17
(3) John 1:1, Matthew 1:23, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Hebrews 7:24-25, Matthew 24:30, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Isaiah 45:21-23
(4) Acts 5:3-4, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:14
(5) Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17, 26

Source: Medi-Share Guidelines – Look under “Membership Qualifications”

Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM)

1. Statement of Faith
a. We believe the Holy Bible to be the only inspired, trustworthy and true, without error, Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

b. We believe there is only one God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

c. We believe Jesus Christ is God, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His death that paid for our sin through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension/ rising up to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory. (John 1:1; Matthew 1:18,25; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 9:15-22; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 9:27-28)

d. We believe that acceptance of Jesus Christ and the corresponding renewal of the Holy Spirit are the only paths to salvation for lost/ sinful men and women. (John 3:16; John 5:24; Titus 3:3-7)

e. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, who lives within and guides Christians so they are enabled to live godly lives. (John 14:15-26; John 16:5-16; Ephesians 1:13-14)

f. We believe in eternal life, and that through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, we spend eternity with the Lord in Heaven. We believe that in rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive eternal suffering in hell. (Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

g. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, that all believers are members of His body, the Church. (Philippians 2:1-4)

h. We believe God’s design for sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the context of marriage. God instituted marriage between one man and one woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9)

i. We believe that God created all human beings in His image. Therefore, we believe that human life is sacred from conception to its natural end; that we must honor the physical and spiritual needs of all people; following Christ’s example, we believe that every person should be treated with love, dignity and respect. (Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 22:37-39; Romans 12:20-21; Galatians 6:10)

2. Doctrinal Disputes

If a dispute arises with regard to the doctrine and teachings of the Holy Bible, the Board of Directors is the organization’s final interpreter of said doctrine and teachings, but any such interpretation shall not differ in any respect from this Constitution.

3. Statement on Gender and Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen. 1:26- 27.) We believe that rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10.)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Christian Healthcare Ministries as a healthcare sharing ministry, and to provide a biblical role model to the staff and membership of Christian Healthcare Ministries, it is imperative that all persons employed by Christian Healthcare Ministries in any capacity, or those who are members of Christian Healthcare Ministries, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Gender and Sexuality. (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22.)

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.)

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Christian Healthcare Ministries, Inc.

Source: CHM Guidelines

Liberty HealthShare

Liberty Health Sharing Member Qualifications and Requirements:

Observe Christian Standards

Strive to live in accordance with biblical principles
Honor the biblical teaching to ‘share one another’s burdens’ (Gal. 6:2)
Participate regularly in worship or prayer

Accept Our Shared Beliefs

We believe that our personal rights and liberties originate from God and are bestowed on us by God, and are not concessions granted to us by governments or men.
We believe every individual has a fundamental religious right to worship the God of the Bible in his or her own way.
We believe it is our biblical and ethical obligation to assist our fellow man when they are in need according to our available resources and opportunity.
We believe it is our spiritual duty to God and our ethical duty to others to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid foods, behaviors or habits that produce sickness or disease to ourselves or others.
We believe it is our fundamental right of conscience to direct our own healthcare, in consultation with physicians, family or other valued advisors, free from government dictates, restraints and oversight.

Maintain a Christian Lifestyle

Refrain from tobacco use in any form.
Follow scriptural teachings on the use or abuse of alcohol.
Avoid abuse of prescription drugs, which means consuming prescription medications in a manner not intended by the prescriber that would likely result in bodily harm or dependency.
Abstain from the abuse of legal drugs or use of illegal drugs including, any hallucinogenic substance, barbiturates, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin or other opiates, marijuana, illegal intravenous drugs, or narcotics.
Exercise regularly and eat healthy foods that do not harm the body.

Source: Liberty HealthShare Qualifications and Requirements

OneShare Health

The OneShare Health is based on the Anabaptist Faith.

Statement of Beliefs:

We believe…

…in the authority of Scripture and the sanctity and dignity of every human life created by God with special meaning and purpose.
– II Timothy 3:16; Psalm 139:13-14

…that every individual has the constitutional and religious right and duty to worship God in freedom.
– II Corinthians 3:17; U.S. Const. amend. I

…and agree in the biblical and ethical principle of sharing with those who are less fortunate and who experience medical needs.
– Galatians 6:2

…and agree that it is our responsibility to God and our fellow Members to engage in accountable, healthy living, and to avoid habits and behaviors which are harmful to the body.
– I Corinthians 6:19-20

…in the power of prayer to save lives, to heal lives, and to unite our Members in common purpose and community, and we believe that prayer should be a fundamental practice of daily life.
– I John 5:14; Philippians 4:6-7

Source: OneShare Health Statement of Beliefs

Samaritan Ministries

Statement of Faith:

We believe in the triune God of the Bible. He is one God Who is revealed in three distinct Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

GEN 1:26 | LUKE 1:35, 3:21-22 | 2 COR 13:14 | MATT 28:18-20

We believe Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, and continues to be such even after His resurrection—fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, was bodily resurrected on the third day, and now is seated in the heavens at the right hand of God the Father.

ISA 7:14, 9:6 | MATT 1:22-23, 26:64 | MARK 16:19 | LUKE 24:38-40 | JOHN 1:1-2, 1:14, 1:29, 2:18-21, 5:18, 8:46 | ACTS 2:32-33 | 1 COR 15:3-4, 15:20-21 | 2 COR 5:21 | COL 1:15-20, 2:9 | HEB 1:1-4, 4:14-15, 7:26, 9:11-14, 10:10-12 | 1 PETER 2:22-24 | 1 JOHN 3:5

We believe that all people have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and can be saved from eternal death only through faith in Jesus Christ, Whose atoning death and resurrection secures for us eternal life.

JER 17:9 | JOHN 3:3, 14:6, 20:30-31 | ROM 3:9-11, 3:23, 5:12-21, 10:8-13 | EPH 2:8-9

Membership Agreement:

Attend a Christian church regularly (at least three out of four weeks per month that your health or weather permits). If it is not possible for you to regularly attend a Christian church, please submit a letter giving the details.

Fellowships, churches, temples, wards, and denominations that fall outside of Biblical, Christian faith—such as the Church of Scientology, Unitarian, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—do not qualify for the church attendance requirement.

Believe you are to bear one another’s burdens.

Agree to: not abuse any legal or prescribed substance, abstain totally from illegal drugs and recreational use of marijuana, and abstain from tobacco use (a rare celebratory cigar or pipe, e.g. when a baby is born, is allowed).

Limit consumption of alcohol to moderate amounts and never drink to drunkenness, or cause another brother or sister in Christ to stumble.

Abstain from any sexual activity outside of traditional Biblical marriage as designed by God between one man and one woman.

Agree to practice good health measures in accordance with the principle that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Keep your membership active by promptly sending your monthly assigned share to all regular needs assigned to you in your monthly newsletter mailing or eShare notification.

Agree that when you have a dispute with a fellow Christian, and your fellow Christian is willing to submit that dispute to fellow believers for resolution, you are not to sue each other in the civil courts or other government agencies.

Sign and send in your Membership Continuation Form each year, confirming that you are still meeting the above requirements.

Have your pastor or Christian church leader sign a statement confirming that you meet the above requirements.

You will be required to agree to these requirements when you apply for membership and provide background information including your date of birth.

You will need to reconfirm that you still meet these requirements annually.

Source: Samaritan Ministries Member Requirements

Share HealthCare

Must agree to a Statement of Faith and must be Christian, meaning you believe in “the God of the Bible, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit”.

The Shared Beliefs of Share HealthCare Members

The unity of faith of its Members is what gives Share HealthCare the legal authority to bring together like-minded members to participate in a community of individuals and families who assist one another in meeting needs that would be insurmountable if faced alone. Without those shared religious beliefs, we cannot legally operate.

These shared beliefs inform the attitudes and behaviors of Share HealthCare Members. Compelled only by their conscience and personal integrity, Members share in the medical expenses of fellow Members and make responsible decisions regarding their own health.

These core beliefs inform our decisions and actions and guide our relationships in community with one another. We ask that each Member affirm that they have the following Shared Beliefs:

We are Christians, and by that we mean we believe in the God of the Bible, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe Hebrews 13:16, which exhorts, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
We believe Galatians 3:28, which reminds us that our spiritual unity is vastly more important that our physical differences, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Jesus Christ.”
We believe Colossians 3:10-12, which helps us to recall that we “have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”
We believe 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, which edifies us, “So let each one gives as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God can make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
We believe 2 Corinthians 8:13-14, which reassures us, “For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack – that there may be equality.”
We believe in the balance of Phillippians 4:5, “Let your moderation be known unto all men;” and 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you ear or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God;” and John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Maintain a Lifestyle in Accordance to the Above Beliefs

Exercising the virtue of temperance to avoid every kind of excess, including, but limited to the abuse of food, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and medicine (over-the-counter or prescription drugs).
Abstaining from the use of illegal drugs. Illegal drugs include, but are not limited to, any banned pharmaceuticals; non-prescribed pharmaceuticals, prescribed pharmaceuticals in a matter not prescribed, synthetic drugs, hallucinogenic substances; barbiturates; amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, or other opiates; marijuana; illegal intravenous drugs; narcotics; and all substances declared to be illegal.
Intentionally incorporating exercise and good nutrition into one’s life. Share HealthCare Members have a moral obligation to maintain their health so as not to place any unnecessary burdens on their fellow Members who share in their healthcare costs.

These beliefs form the dutiful and ethical basis for our interaction and community relationships. Each member indicates their adoption of the Statement of Shared Beliefs when they sign the Sharing Member Information Sheet. We make a solemn and significant statement to one another that we will aid, support, and devote our resources to one another as we pursue healthcare that respects our way of life as reflected in the Member Handbook.

Source: Share Healthcare Handbook

Solidarity HealthShare

Must agree to live by biblical principles and respects the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. Medical expenses related to anything that goes against Catholic ethics are not shareable.

In order to become and remain a Sharing Member, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria listed below. Also, as a voluntary healthcare sharing ministry, the Ministry is constrained by finite resources—no matter how many Members we may have. Therefore, Solidarity HealthShare may decline membership to applicants who present active, pre-existing medical Needs as such immediate expenses may strain our giving beyond current capacity.

Maintain a Catholic/Christian Lifestyle
At the heart of Catholic social teaching is a profound respect for the dignity of the human person. In recognition of the respect owed not only to others but to oneself, to be eligible person must commit to the following:

Strive to be a Christian who lives by biblical principles and respect the moral teachings of the Catholic Church;

Practice the principle of solidarity, the “firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good”, by Sharing one another’s medical burdens (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 193); and

Accept that one’s body is a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and, as such, exercise stewardship of the body by pursuing a healthy lifestyle for oneself and one’s family.

Accept Our Shared Beliefs
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that solidarity can be understood and “articulated in terms of ‘friendship’ or ‘social charity'”” (no. 1939). Bearing this in mind, Solidarity HealthShare brings together Catholics and other like-minded Christians to participate in a community of individuals and families who assist one another in meeting Needs that faced alone would be insurmountable.

The “friendship” of Sharing Members indicates a shared belief in the dignity of the human person. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Respect for the human person considers the other ‘another self.’ It presupposes respect for the fundamental rights that flow from the dignity intrinsic of the person” (no. 1944). Sharing Members demonstrate this respect by supporting their fellow Members as if they were indeed “another self.”

These beliefs inform the attitudes and behaviors of Solidarity HealthShare Members. Members Share in the medical expenses of fellow Members as they are compelled by conscience. Members make responsible decisions regarding their health out of respect for their bodies and accountability to other Members.

Solidarity HealthShare Members believe they have a right to freely make informed decisions regarding their healthcare and that this right must not be relinquished to others.

Solidarity HealthShare consists of like-minded individuals and families who mutually Share one another’s medical expenses. Our core beliefs are rooted in Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church. We seek to remain faithful to Sacred Scripture and the moral and social doctrine of the Catholic Church, especially as it is articulated in the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

These core beliefs inform our decisions and actions and guide our relationships with one another in community. We ask that each Member affirm the following Shared Beliefs:

We believe that our personal rights and liberties originate from and are bestowed on us by God and are not concessions granted to us by governments or men.
We believe that every person has a right to exercise his or her religion without interference or coercion. While we do not hold that every claim made in the name of religion has equal merit or equal basis in truth, we do respect each person’s freedom of both religious worship and practice.
We believe it is our moral and ethical obligation to be our brother’s or sister’s keeper, in recognition of the principle of solidarity, according to our God-given resources and opportunity.
We believe in the virtue of temperance, which enables us to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid foods, behaviors, or habits that could produce sickness or disease.
We believe it is our fundamental right of conscience to direct our own health care in consultation with physicians, family, or other valued advisors, free from government dictates, restraints, and oversight, including federal or state contraception and abortion mandates and all unethical practices or mandates.

Maintain a Virtuous Lifestyle
“The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 362). Because Solidarity HealthShare Members believe that we are made in God’s image, we must respect and care for our bodies. Guided by the Church’s teachings, Members must maintain a lifestyle that demonstrates a profound respect for the human person in both his spiritual and physical aspects.

To qualify as a Sharing Member, an applicant must comply with the lifestyle requirements detailed in these Guidelines. Members must also submit a thorough account of their medical history. In general, a virtuous lifestyle includes, but is not limited to:

Exercising the virtue of temperance to avoid every kind of excess, including, but not limited to the abuse of food, tobacco, alcohol, and medicine (over-the-counter or prescription drugs) (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2290).

Abstaining from the use of illegal drugs. Illegal drugs include but are not limited to any banned pharmaceuticals; non-prescribed pharmaceuticals; synthetic drugs; hallucinogenic substances; barbiturates; amphetamines; cocaine, heroin, or other opiates; marijuana; illegal intravenous drugs; narcotics; and all substances declared to be illegal (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2291).

Intentionally incorporating exercise and good nutrition into one’s life.Solidarity HealthShare Members have a moral obligation to maintain their health so as not to place any unnecessary burdens on their fellow Members who Share in their healthcare costs.

These beliefs form the religious and ethical basis for our interaction and community relationships. Each Member agrees to the Statement of Shared Beliefs by signing the application form. We make a solemn and significant pledge to one another that we will aid, support, and devote our resources to one another as we pursue healthcare that respects our dignity.

Source: Solidarity HealthShare

Which Health Share Should You Join?

Choosing a Health Share is such a personal decision, and I fully understand the importance of joining the right one for your needs. After much research on all of the Health Shares, I ended up writing an article on the Best Health Share Plans. In this post, I narrow it all down and let you know which health share plans I recommend.

Christian Health Share Plans