Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Alternatives

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you enroll through my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Americans deserve affordable Healthcare options. But what options do we really have? You can either pay a lot for Health Insurance (which may or may not be a benefit at your work) or heaven forbid – you just go uninsured and hope for the best (which is not really an option, if you ask me). And the “cheap” and “affordable” Health Insurance that the government offers isn’t cheap or affordable!

There’s an option to secure low-cost healthcare that most people don’t know about, which could save you hundreds a month on deductibles and premiums. In fact, most people save up to 30% to 60%, when compared to traditional Health Insurance.

It’s called a HealthShare. It’s a proven and effective alternative to Health Insurance.

What is a Health Share?

A HealthShare is a non-profit organization that has a community of like-minded individuals who have come together to share in one another’s medical expenses. They offer an affordable alternative to Health Insurance.

Benefits of a Health Share

Here are some of the main benefits of joining a Health Share, which are not specific to a particular Health Share organization. 

• Most HealthShare members save anywhere from 30-60% with a Health Share, compared to traditional Health Insurance costs. 
• Members get to work with their doctor or hospital of choice, without network restrictions. 
• Easy to submit Needs (eligible medical bills) to the HealthShare. 
• Most of your money is going to people in need, not a company.
• Open Enrollment is year-round.

How does a Health Share work?

As a member of a Health Share, you would pay, or contribute, a set amount of money each month to your Health Share community. 

Additionally, the member would first need to pay a set amount, which is the member’s responsibility before the Health Share community pays any medical bills. This is similar to a deductible that you’d have with a Health Insurance plan. 

Once the member has paid their responsibility, the Health Share would “share” in all eligible medical expenses.

How is a Health Share different from Health Insurance?

A Health Share is not the same as Health Insurance, which makes the rules and regulations different for each other. 

Here are some of the main differences between Health Share Plans and Health Insurance: 

• Health Share Plans are not required to share in Minimum Essential Coverage benefits, like Health Insurance plans. 
• Health Share plans are typically designed for larger unexpected medical needs and is also a big reason why Health Share plans are much more affordable. 
• Health Share organizations decide what medical expenses are shared with the community, and how the medical bills are paid. 
• Each Health Share chooses who can join their community, based on similar beliefs or ideologies. 
• There are usually restrictions or waiting periods for pre-existing conditions. Look into a Health Share plan if you have a pre-existing condition that you are concerned about.

Is a Health Share right for you?

Generally speaking, Health Share plans are designed to help you with larger unexpected medical expenses. That means that smaller medical bills that are less than your set member responsibility (compared to a deductible with Health Insurance), would be paid by you. 

For most people, a Health Share is still a great alternative to Health Insurance. In the long run, you save money each month and still have that security knowing that larger eligible medical bills will be “shared” once you’ve paid your member responsibility.

What about the The Federal Health Care Law and ACA Compliance?

Since 2019, you are not required to obtain minimum health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and you will not be penalized for failing to purchase traditional health insurance. 

For most Americans, you can simply join a Health Share and use that as an alternative to traditional Health Insurance. 

However, there are a few states that have individual state mandates: California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

If you live in one of the states mentioned above, you will still need to meet the minimal Health Insurance requirement. For more info, you can read my post about it here.

Which Health Share Should I Join?

There are a lot of Health Share plans to choose from, which is great, but it can also get overwhelming!

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.