Health Share (Health Care Sharing)
A health share is a member-funded medical cost-sharing arrangement where members contribute monthly and share one another's eligible medical costs. It is not insurance and is not regulated as insurance.
What a health share is — and isn’t
In a health care sharing arrangement, members contribute a set monthly amount, and those funds help pay other members’ eligible medical bills. It can be a lower-cost alternative to traditional coverage for healthy individuals and families.
Important: A health share is not insurance and is not regulated as insurance. Assistance with your medical bills from other members is voluntary, and you remain personally responsible for your own bills. Availability and rules vary by state.
How it differs from insurance
- No policy or guaranteed payout — sharing is based on the community’s guidelines, not a contract of indemnity.
- Eligibility guidelines define what is shareable; pre-existing conditions are often phased in over time.
- Lower monthly cost for many healthy members, in exchange for that different structure.
Pairing with Direct Primary Care
Many members combine a health share (for larger, less frequent expenses) with Direct Primary Care (for everyday primary care). We’ll walk you through whether this combination makes sense for your situation and what’s available where you live.
Related terms
Direct Primary Care
Direct Primary Care is a flat monthly membership that gives you a direct relationship with a primary care practice — longer visits, easier access, and transparent pricing — outside of the insurance billing system.
ICHRA
An ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) lets an employer reimburse employees, tax-free, for individual-market health premiums instead of offering a single group plan.