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If you’re trying to join Zion HealthShare and you’re almost ready to hit submit, one question stops a lot of people at the finish line:
“Wait… do I join Zion HealthShare Direct Membership… or Zion HealthShare Essential Membership?”
So, let’s simplify it. In this post, I’ll explain the real differences. That way, you can choose with confidence.
The simple difference
First, here’s the easiest way to think about it:
Zion HealthShare Direct Membership
This is the standard option for most individuals and families. In other words, it’s the most straightforward choice if you’re signing up on your own.
It includes sharing support for large, unexpected medical events. Plus, it comes with a few extras, such as:
- preventive services (limited)
- virtual care
- Zion RxShare (discount prescriptions)
Zion HealthShare Essential Membership
On the other hand, Zion HealthShare Essential Membership is for people joining through an employer or organization. It can also be for people who already have Direct Primary Care.
It’s basically sharing support for large, unexpected medical events. And that’s it.
However, you can still add on preventive services, virtual care, or Zion RxShare if you want them.
Direct vs Essential (quick comparison)
Here’s a quick side-by-side view:
| Feature | Zion HealthShare Direct Membership | Zion HealthShare Essential Membership |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Individuals & families enrolling on their own | People enrolling through an employer/organization, or those with Direct Primary Care |
| Main purpose | Large & unexpected medical events | Large & unexpected medical events |
| Preventive services | Included (limited) | Optional add-on |
| Virtual care | Included | Optional add-on |
| Zion RxShare | Included | Optional add-on |
Direct Membership includes:
- sharing for large, unexpected medical events
- preventive services (limited)
- virtual care
- Zion RxShare
Essential Membership includes:
- sharing for large, unexpected medical events
- optional add-ons for preventive, virtual care, and Zion RxShare
My family’s real-life example (how we chose)
When my family first joined Zion HealthShare in 2021, we chose the Zion HealthShare Direct Membership.
At the time, that made the most sense. After all, it was the simplest “all-in-one” setup.
We submitted sharing requests for annual wellness visits for our kids. Plus, we submitted one larger medical bill too.
Then, at the end of 2024, we joined a Direct Primary Care membership.
If you’re new to that term, don’t worry. Direct Primary Care is a monthly membership with a local doctor.
In our case, it gives us:
- unlimited doctor visits
- the ability to text or call our doctor anytime
- virtual care through the practice
- discounts on labs
So, instead of paying every time we go to the doctor, our visits are included in the monthly membership.
Once we joined Direct Primary Care, I called Zion HealthShare. Then I gave them our DPC details and start date. After that, we switched to Zion HealthShare Essential Membership.
What our setup looks like now
Now, our healthcare setup is simple. It’s basically two parts.
Direct Primary Care = everyday healthcare
This handles the “normal life” stuff, such as:
- checkups
- sick visits
- ongoing questions
- basic labs (often at a discount)
Zion HealthShare Essential Membership = big, unexpected medical events
Meanwhile, Zion HealthShare is there for the bigger things Direct Primary Care can’t handle.
For example:
- hospital stays
- surgeries
- treatment for a major diagnosis
Because we switched to Zion HealthShare Essential Membership, we no longer get Zion’s built-in preventive services, virtual care, or Zion RxShare through Zion HealthShare.
That said, this works for us. Most of what we used those for is now handled through our Direct Primary Care membership.
One more thing, though: some preventive services that were included through Zion HealthShare—like colonoscopies or mammograms—may not be included in Direct Primary Care.
In our case, we plan to pay cash for those when needed.
And honestly, cash pricing for preventive services is often more reasonable than people expect.
So which one should you choose?
Here’s the quick recap.
Choose Zion HealthShare Direct Membership if:
You’re an individual or family enrolling on your own. Especially if you don’t have a Direct Primary Care membership.
In that case, Direct is the only option.
It’s designed for large, unexpected medical events. Plus, it includes preventive services, virtual care, and Zion RxShare.
Choose Zion HealthShare Essential Membership only if:
You’re joining through an employer or organization. Or, you already have Direct Primary Care and you want Zion HealthShare for large, unexpected medical events.
In other words, it’s “just the essentials.” However, you can add on preventive services, virtual care, or Zion RxShare if you want them.
Links + quick note
If this helped and you’re ready to join, here are the links:
- Zion HealthShare Direct Membership
- Zion HealthShare Essential Membership – You’ll need to schedule a call to enroll.
Finally, if you have questions, leave them in the comments. And as always, I’ll do my best to help.
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.
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