Let me be completely honest with you. When I first heard about medishare insurance, I thought it was just another clever marketing gimmick designed to make religious people feel good about saving money. I was wrong. But I was also right in ways I never expected.
It was a rainy Tuesday in March when my own healthcare sharing journey began. My traditional insurance premium had just jumped to $1,400 a month for a family of four. That’s not a typo. Fourteen hundred dollars. My oldest son needed braces, my daughter had chronic ear infections, and my wife looked at me across the kitchen table with that expression that says, “We need a miracle, not another bill.” That’s when my coworker Dave mentioned Medishare.
Dave is the kind of guy who hikes on weekends and drinks kombucha unironically. But he also saves $900 a month on healthcare. So I listened.
Over the next three years, I learned things about medishare insurance that no glossy brochure will ever print. Some truths made me smile. Others made me want to scream into a pillow. But all of them matter if you’re considering this path.
So grab a coffee, get comfortable, and let me walk you through the 10 best, most practical, and occasionally painful truths about medishare insurance. I promise to keep it real.
1. Medishare Insurance Is Not Actually Insurance
Here’s the first shock to the system. The word “insurance” appears in the name, but legally and practically, medishare insurance is a healthcare sharing ministry. Think of it less like Blue Cross Blue Shield and more like a massive, organized crowdfunding community with biblical rules.
I remember calling my bank to set up automatic payments, and the representative said, “Ma’am, are you sure this isn’t a scam?” That’s how little the average person understands this model.
Here’s the analogy that finally clicked for me. Imagine you live in a small town where everyone agrees to help pay each other’s medical bills. No giant corporation. No shareholders. Just neighbors sharing burdens. That’s the core idea behind medishare insurance. Members contribute a monthly share amount, and when someone has an eligible medical bill, the community shares the cost.
But—and this is a massive “but”—because it’s not technically insurance, it doesn’t follow the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules. That means no guaranteed coverage for pre existing conditions. No mandatory mental health benefits. And no government backup if the ministry goes under.
I learned this lesson the hard way when my wife’s thyroid medication wasn’t covered. The phrase “what medishare does not cover” suddenly became very personal.
2. The Annual Unshared Amount Will Make You Gasp
Remember deductibles? Medishare insurance calls it the “Annual Unshared Amount” (AUA). And it’s not small.
When I first signed up, I chose the highest AUA to keep my monthly share low. Big mistake. Huge. My family’s AUA was $10,500 per year. That meant we had to pay the first $10,500 of medical bills entirely out of pocket before the sharing community kicked in a single dollar.
Let me paint you a picture. In February of that year, my son broke his arm on a trampoline. The ER visit, X-rays, and cast cost $3,200. I paid it all. In April, my daughter needed ear tubes. Another $2,800. All me. In July, I had a kidney stone. Surgery and hospitalization: $7,500. Guess who paid? Me.
I hit my AUA in August. That’s eight months of bleeding cash before any sharing happened.
So here’s my advice: Choose your AUA like you’re choosing a parachute. Lower is safer, but your monthly share amount will be higher. Higher is cheaper monthly, but you better have serious savings. There’s no free lunch.
Many families find success pairing medishare insurance with a Health Savings Account (HSA) even though HSAs technically require a high deductible health plan. It’s a gray area, but it works.
3. Pre Existing Condition Guidelines Are Strict (Read the Fine Print)
This is where people get burned. Badly.
Medishare insurance has a three year look back period for pre existing conditions. That means if you’ve had a condition, taken medication, or seen a doctor for a specific health issue within the past 36 months, that condition may not be shareable for the first 12 to 36 months of your membership.
I have a friend named Sarah who joined Medishare while taking blood pressure medication. She honestly answered every question on the application. But she missed a single line about “related cardiovascular symptoms” from a visit two years prior. When she later needed an echocardiogram, Medishare denied the entire $4,000 bill, citing that her hypertension was a pre existing condition that she hadn’t fully disclosed.
Was that fair? Debatable. Was it legal? Yes, because medishare insurance isn’t regulated like traditional insurance.
The MediShare qualifications process is rigorous. You’ll sign a statement of faith. You’ll agree to a biblical lifestyle (no tobacco, limited alcohol, church attendance required). And you’ll need to provide years of medical records.
My advice? If you have any chronic condition—diabetes, asthma, mental health struggles, autoimmune disorders—call them before you apply. Ask specifically: “Would this condition be shareable on day one?” Get the answer in writing.
4. The Christian Care Ministry Backing Is Both Strength and Limitation
Medishare insurance is operated by Christian Care Ministry, a Florida based nonprofit. That religious foundation isn’t just window dressing. It affects everything.
Every member must sign a statement of faith affirming belief in the Trinity, the Bible as God’s word, and traditional Christian moral values. You’ll also need a pastor or church leader to sign off on your membership.
Here’s the personal part. I’m a Christian, so this wasn’t a problem for me. But my neighbor Mark is a wonderful person who happens to be agnostic. He wanted the lower costs but couldn’t sign the faith statement. That was a hard stop. No exceptions.
Also, because of the religious framework, medishare insurance doesn’t cover certain things. Birth control is generally not shareable unless used for medical treatment like endometriosis. Abortion is completely excluded except to save the mother’s life. Elective sterilization? No. Gender affirming care? Absolutely not.
I remember a heated online forum debate where a woman was furious that Medishare wouldn’t cover her IUD. She called them “medieval.” Another member responded, “They told you the rules before you joined.” Both had valid points.
The bottom line: If you align with traditional Christian values, the community aspect is beautiful. If you don’t, you’ll feel constrained.
5. What Medishare Does Not Cover Might Surprise You
Let me give you the uncomfortable list. I wish someone had handed me this on day one.
Not covered or severely limited:
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Mental health therapy (except inpatient crisis care)
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Most prescription drugs (except a short list of generics)
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Maternity without a special add on program
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Preventive care like annual physicals (yes, you read that right)
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Vision and dental (separate sharing programs exist but cost extra)
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Experimental treatments
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Out of network care except emergencies
I’ll never forget trying to fill my son’s ADHD medication. The pharmacy clerk said, “Your insurance denied this.” I spent three hours on the phone learning that medishare insurance covers only a tiny formulary of generic medications. My son’s brand name meds? $380 a month. Out of pocket.
The MediShare prescription drug coverage is one of the most common complaints. Members often use discount cards like GoodRx or Costco’s member pricing to manage drug costs.
And maternity? Oh boy. Unless you purchase the optional Maternity Sharing program before conception, pregnancy costs are entirely on you. Even with the program, there’s a $5,000 AUA just for maternity, plus a 12 month waiting period.
So if you’re planning a baby, plan your Medishare membership at least a year in advance.
6. The Monthly Share Amount Fluctuates More Than You Think
Traditional insurance premiums change once a year. Medishare insurance can change monthly.
Why? Because the “premium” is actually a suggested monthly share amount based on the community’s actual medical needs. If a lot of members have expensive health events in January, your February share might go up.
This happened to me in 2022. My normal share was $499 per month. In March, it jumped to $612 with no warning. The explanation? “Higher than expected cardiovascular claims.” That’s the email I received.
Now, to be fair, the share amount can also go down. But in my experience, it trends upward over time as the membership ages and requires more care.
The MediShare household maximum is your financial safety net. Once you reach that limit in a calendar year, all further eligible medical bills are shared at 100%. That’s a wonderful feature. My household maximum was $15,000, which included the AUA plus any additional out of pocket costs.
But reaching that maximum meant spending $15,000 first. That’s a lot of money for most families.
7. Does Medishare Cover Mental Health? The Honest Answer
I saved this for the middle because it’s personal. My teenage daughter struggled with anxiety and depression during the pandemic. Traditional therapy was expensive but accessible. Under medishare insurance, we were largely on our own.
The official policy is that mental health conditions are shareable only if they require inpatient hospitalization. Outpatient therapy, counseling, psychiatric medications, and even telehealth mental health visits are generally not shareable.
I remember sitting in my car outside a therapist’s office, crying, because the $175 per session was eating our grocery budget. We ended up finding a church based counseling center that charged $40 on a sliding scale. That was a lifesaver.
So to answer the question “Does medishare cover mental health?” the honest reply is: barely. If mental healthcare is important to your family, factor that into your decision. You might spend thousands out of pocket each year.
8. The Member Portal Will Test Your Patience
The MediShare member portal login is… how do I say this kindly… not great.
It looks like a website from 2008. It crashes during high traffic times. Submitting medical bills for sharing requires uploading PDFs, filling out forms, and waiting weeks for approval. I once waited 47 days for a $900 reimbursement.
That said, the phone support team is surprisingly helpful. Real people answer quickly, and they pray with you if you ask. That’s not a joke. A representative prayed for my daughter’s surgery outcome while processing my claim.
But you should know what you’re getting into. You’ll need to be organized. Keep digital copies of every medical bill, every explanation of benefits, and every email. I created a spreadsheet tracking every submission, approval date, and reimbursement.
Traditional insurance is passive. You swipe a card and move on. Medishare insurance is active. You submit, follow up, and sometimes fight for sharing.
9. Real Life Example: How Sharing Actually Works
Let me walk you through a real scenario from a fellow member named James.
James had a heart attack in 2023. His total hospital bill was $78,000. Here’s how medishare insurance handled it.
First, James paid his $7,500 AUA out of pocket. Then, Medishare negotiated with the hospital (yes, they do negotiate) and reduced the bill to $52,000. After that, the sharing community paid 100% of the remaining $44,500.
James paid $7,500 total for a $78,000 heart attack. That’s a win.
But here’s the flip side. Another member named Lisa had a $4,000 MRI that was denied because her doctor didn’t get prior authorization. Lisa fought for six months and eventually paid the entire bill herself.
The lesson? Follow every rule to the letter. Get pre approvals in writing. Make sure every provider knows you’re in a sharing program. And never assume anything is covered.
The Christian health insurance alternative model works beautifully when you play by its rules. When you don’t, it hurts.
10. So Should You Join Medishare Insurance?
After three years as a member, here’s my bottom line.
Join medishare insurance if:
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You’re generally healthy with no chronic conditions
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You’re an active, practicing Christian who agrees with the statement of faith
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You have at least $10,000 in emergency savings
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You’re comfortable with paperwork and advocacy
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You understand that mental health, prescriptions, and preventive care will be mostly out of pocket
Do NOT join if:
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You have pre existing conditions requiring regular care
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You take expensive brand name medications
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You need mental health therapy
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You want “set it and forget it” healthcare
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You’re uncomfortable with religious requirements
For my family, medishare insurance saved us about $8,000 per year compared to COBRA. But we also spent $3,000 out of pocket on things traditional insurance would have covered. The net savings were real, but not as dramatic as the brochures promised.
We eventually left Medishare when my wife was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. The ongoing medication costs made traditional insurance more affordable again.
But I don’t regret the experience. I learned to be a smarter healthcare consumer. I learned the value of community. And I learned that no healthcare solution is perfect.
So take a deep breath. Do your own research. Call Medishare and ask the hard questions. Read the 50 page member guidelines. Pray about it if that’s your style. And then make the best decision for your family.
