Altrua HealthShare is related to Altrua Ministries, a nonprofit which partners with well-known foundations like The Salvation Army. The HealthShare launched in 2000 but their merge with Blessed Assurance Bulletin allows them to claim that they have been in operation since 1996. Altrua serves about 15,000 members from a home base in Texas.
Altrua HealthShare is a puzzle with many unusual pieces. For example, if you exceed the weight standard, Altrua may charge you extra or cancel your membership. Even some core pieces of this HealthShare are very complicated, like the structure of the Member Responsibility Amount (MRA). During a calendar year, there are two MRAs that you must meet before your costs become fully shareable. You are responsible for all your medical expenses until you meet your first MRA, between $500 and $7,500. Then, you pay a portion of your eligible bills until you meet the second responsibility amount, between $2,500 and $5,000. Altogether, these MRA amounts may total between $3,000 and $12,500. However, unlike many HealthShares the MRAs work on a per person per year basis, not per need.
Due to Altrua HealthShare’s strict definition of pre-existing conditions, some of your most critical needs may not be shareable. Depending on the condition, if you have had any treatment or symptoms in the past ten years, you may have a two or five year wait before you can share it with the community. What’s worse, you may never be able to share some of your needs because there are lifetime limits on some pre-existing conditions. However, not all pieces of the Altrua puzzle are a bummer. In fact, you may be able to share some expenses with Altrua that are not typically eligible with other HealthShares. For example, you can share adoption expenses like a maternity need—a very rare offering.
Despite the complex structure and strict rules, Altrua HealthShare plans have many practical features that emphasize member wellness. Each membership includes six office visits per member, per year. What’s more, you may pool office visits with other members in your household. If one household member uses less than six visits, any other member in the household may use the remaining visits. Altrua HealthShare allows an extra visit for select preventive screenings. For example, female members over the age of 40 must get a mammogram every two years. Pap Tests and Prostate Specific Antigen Tests are treated in the same way.
Sharing may feel a little thin with Altrua; bills related to something as common as a migraine may not be shareable until after two years of membership if you have had one in the past ten years. On the other hand, Altrua HealthShare encourages regular visits to your healthcare providers. Ultimately, you may pay a lot out of your own pocket, but much of your routine care is likely shareable with Altrua HealthShare.
Membership Requirements:
- Agree to “statement of standards,” including strict religious beliefs
- No tobacco use
- Weight limits
- Annual recommitment form
Key Considerations:
- 30–45 day need turnaround
- Annual fees: $100 renewal, $25 donation to Altrua Ministries
- ER visits highly scrutinized, may not be shareable
- Substance use/abuse (including nicotine) may result in drug screening and membership termination
- Decreased monthly contributions for Medicare part A or B participants
- Strict sharing rules regarding vehicle-related injuries and extreme sports
Pros:
- 30-day trial period
- Refer a friend $100
- Telemedicine (DialCare)
- Counseling services available to all members
- Federally recognized by CMS
- Provider paid directly, or member reimbursed
- No annual limits for Diamond and Emerald members
- Group plans available for churches or businesses
- Nationwide Primary PPO network: MultiPlan/PHCS
- COVID-19 services shareable: $50 for test, $150 for vaccine
- Adoption shareable (2 adoption events, $5,000 each)
- Advanced Opinion for Eligibility available, but not required
- Discounts on dental, vision, hearing, alternative health, medical supplies
- Children may have a membership with or without their parents
- Maternity shareable for single-person plans
Cons:
- 90-day wait for most services
- 12-month wait for some services
- No memberships available for members over 65
- Annual limits: Sapphire and Ruby
- Lifetime limits on all plans
- Limited cancer sharing
- Sharing limits on most common needs
- Limited hospice and skilled nursing sharing: 40 visits/days
- Dependents only qualify until age 23 (typical is 26)
- Extra charges or disqualification for exceeding weight standards
- Refusing prescribed treatment may impact future need eligibility
- Complications from ineligible pregnancy (mother or baby) not shareable
- Strict pre-existing conditions definition: 10-year lookback
- Maternity not shareable for unmarried members
Ideal Candidates:
- Do not participate in extreme sports
- Enjoy using recreational vehicles responsibly
- Have strong moral convictions
- Want a plan just for their children
- Have money to spend on their medical care
