With open enrollment fast approaching, it’s important to work through the differences between traditional insurance and a health share like Altrua HealthShare to understand what is the best fit for your family and your situation. These two models are similar and are very different in significant ways, so it’s crucial to educate yourself on which approach makes the most sense for your healthcare for 2026.

What Are These Two Models?

Traditional Health Insurance

This may be the model you’re most familiar with, if you’ve worked for a company or organization that offers medical insurance. Your employer may offer a group plan for you and your fellow employees. You pay a premium to be part of this traditional health insurance plan, a premium that is either paid monthly or annually. 

The insurance company underwrites the risk, which means that they take a look at your age, your current health status, your lifestyle, and the likelihood you will be filing a claim, along with those same likelihoods for your group. The insurance company then determines what the premium will be for the year, based not just on your profile, but on your group. You’re then reimbursed for medical expenses that are covered by your policy, or your medical costs are paid to healthcare providers and facilities that have agreements with the insurance company. Traditional insurance companies usually use methods like copays, deductibles, and networks for healthcare visits. Unless you have a change of employment or family situation during the calendar year, you generally are only allowed to change the levels or features of your insurance during the open enrollment period. This is usually the period of time from November until early January when changes to your traditional health insurance plan are permitted.

Even with employer contributions to traditional health insurance, the cost of traditional insurance remains high, at an average of $750 for an individual and $2100 for a family, with employer costs continuing to rise. Accelerating costs, combined with higher rates of medical bill denials, continue to be a significant concern among business owners, employers, and those in the work force. (Please note: as of this writing, both COVID-era and Obamacare subsidies are currently being debated by lawmakers. If either or both of these subsidies are ended or adjusted, healthcare insurance costs will likely be much higher).

Altrua HealthShare, a Health Care Sharing Ministry

In the health share model, members of the health share contribute to a shared pool or “sharing fund,” which is then used to share in medical costs. Altrua HealthShare is unique in that it has a member escrow account, from which eligible medical costs are then shared. When an Altura HealthShare Member has an eligible medical need, the community shares the cost through the monthly contributions it receives from Members. What is also unique to Altura HealthShare is that Altrua HealthShare uses a proprietary medical billing negotiations process, which can also help lower healthcare expenses. Altrua HealthShare makes it very clear that the organization is NOT insurance, and uses different terms and features to distinguish itself from traditional health insurance. 

All health sharing organizations are required to be organized as nonprofits, 501(c)3s, operated by a shared set of standards. This can be under biblical, faith principles or ethical principles. Altrua HealthShare operates under a Statement of Standards, which all Members agree to when they join the health share:

✅ Altrua HealthShare 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.

While there are several health share organizations in the United States today, Altrua HealthShare is one of the longest serving organizations, with over 27 years experience and having shared in millions of dollars of medical needs. While this is not true of all health shares, Altrua HealthShare has a letter of recognition from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This document confirms Altrua HealthShare’s status as a recognized Health Care Sharing Ministry (HCSM), which exempts members from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate penalty. Altrua HealthShare has held this status since 2014. It’s estimated that using a health share like Altrua HealthShare can save Members up to 50% of their healthcare costs when compared to traditional health insurance costs. 

In order to maintain its 501(c)3 status with the IRS, Altrua HealthShare is required to maintain its structure as an HSCM. (You can learn more about Altrua HealthShare and its designation as an HCSM in this national television story.)

Open Enrollment & Timing: What You Need to Know

  • 🗓️ Put it on your calendar: If you’re currently with traditional health insurance or if you’re looking to make a change, open enrollment typically runs from November 1, 2025 to January 15, 2026 (please note: some states have longer or shorter windows for enrollment, so make sure to check with where you live).
  • 🤔 With traditional health insurance, outside of open enrollment, you generally need a qualifying life event (e.g. loss of coverage, marriage, birth) to enroll or make changes. 
  • 📍Altrua HealthShare has year-round enrollment, which means that you can become a Member at any time throughout the year, not just during the open enrollment window. Additionally, Altrua HealthShare offers a 30-day no risk Member experience, so you can decide if the health share is the right fit for you. 
  • 📋Be sure and check out this helpful article on health share facts and myths. 

Key Questions to Ask Yourself..and Whichever Model You’re Considering

Before you commit to either route, consider the following:

  1. What medical expenses are considered eligible, either allowed by an insurance company or eligible to be shared in by a health share?
  2. How are preexisting conditions handled? Both models may have exemptions or may have waiting periods before conditions are shared in. Be sure to educate yourself. (You can learn more about preexisting conditions and waiting periods by reviewing the Membership Guidelines for Altrua HealthShare.)
  3. Is there a maximum shareable amount or lifetime cap? With Altrua HealthShare, you can select these amounts, depending on the membership level you choose.
  4. Do they require you to adhere to certain lifestyle or faith practices? Before joining any health share, review the statements of faith or standards, and make sure it’s something you agree to. There are medical elements that will not be shared in based on the lifestyle agreements you make as part of joining a health share. Traditional insurance models typically do not have these kinds of standards, which means your healthcare dollar may often go for lifestyle conditions or choices you may not agree with.
  5. How transparent is either model with their processes? Altrua HealthShare makes transparency a key part of their model. Make sure that whatever option you’re considering includes answers to your most common questions, including appeals processes and required testing for eligible sharing.  
  6. Will your hospital or doctor accept the arrangement? Altrua HealthShare is willing to work with any hospital or provider. There are many providers who work with health shares, and the First Health HealthShare Network is available to Altrua HealthShare Members on the GEMs and MyShare memberships to connect with over 1 million providers. Altrua HealthShare will also work with providers who are unfamiliar with health shares to explain the process. In some cases, a Member may need to be a self-pay patient and can then submit their medical billing to Altrua HealthShare for reimbursement. With many traditional health insurance models or other health shares, you may be limited to who you can see for medical care.
  7. How stable is the ministry? While there are newer health shares that pop up each year, look for ones that have been available for a longer period of time and who can show their history of sharing. Altrua HealthShare is one of the most established HCSMs in the field, with over 27 years experience.

 

Which One Is Right for You?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are scenarios that might lean you toward one or the other.

Consider a health share if you:

    • Are an entrepreneur, self-employed and looking for healthcare options. There are also Members who find that they have greater savings by not going with their employer’s healthcare benefits package but rather by going with Altrua HealthShare.
    • Would like more freedom in choosing doctors. Altrua HealthShare also has partnered with First Health HealthShare Network, a premiere national network, with more than 5,800 hospitals, 152,000 ancillary facilities and over a million professional providers. Members on the GEMs and MyShare memberships with Altrua HealthShare are able to access this network through their Health Wallet app.
    • Prefer your healthcare dollars to go toward healthier lifestyles and a shared ethical community.
    • Want greater flexibility with lower monthly costs. 

Final Take 

You’re the person who knows your own health, your financial situation, your family, and your own goals for your career the best. Is your concern about finding quality, affordable medical care part of what’s holding you back from starting your own company or following your dreams? A health care sharing ministry, like Altrua HealthShare, might be the right solution. Are you looking for a more financially-friendly way to take care of your organization or ministry? Consider talking with Altrua HealthShare about what options might work for you. In both models, either traditional insurance or health care sharing, it’s never been more important to do your homework, ask plenty of questions, and fully understand what you’re part of as the member. Start your research and your list of questions now so that you’re ready for the open enrollment season this year. And, as always, Altrua HealthShare is here to help answer any questions you have about your current membership or becoming a Member.