Altrua HealthShare is a Christian-focused, nonprofit medical cost-sharing community administered by Altrua Ministries and based in Austin, Texas. The community has over 25,000 members and has been sharing medical expenses since 1996. Membership is open to anyone who agrees to live a healthy lifestyle and follow their Statement of Standards. Altrua HealthShare also offers a 30-day trial period to all prospective members, with the first monthly contribution refunded if they choose not to continue their membership once the trial ends.
How does an Altrua HealthShare membership work?
Upon joining, members pay a $100 application fee and a $25 donation to Altrua Ministries, both of which are nonrefundable. There is a $100 membership renewal fee for each subsequent year, but the $25 donation becomes voluntary after the enrollment year. Members make monthly contributions, which are deposited into an escrow account and used to share eligible medical expenses among the community.
Altrua HealthShare members have access to the First Health provider network, with concierge services available to help locate in-network providers. When seeking treatment, members present themselves as self-pay patients and show their Altrua HealthShare Member ID to their provider to help explain the sharing process. Providers then submit eligible medical needs to Altrua HealthShare, either online or by mail, to facilitate sharing.
Members can choose from four GEMS membership types (Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby) or MyShare, a customizable membership option. All four GEMS memberships have lifetime sharing limits, but only Ruby and Sapphire also have annual sharing limits.
GEMS Monthly Contributions
Monthly contributions vary by membership type, age of the oldest household member, and household size:
- Ages 0 to 39: $136 to $706 per month
- Ages 40 to 49: $136 to $796 per month
- Ages 50 to 59: $136 to $973 per month
- Ages 60 to 64: $136 to $1,145 per month
For larger households, an additional $50 per month applies for each dependent beyond five members for Diamond, Emerald, and Sapphire, or beyond three members for Ruby.
Member Responsibility Amounts (MRAs)
GEMS members may have different MRAs depending on the services received and the membership selected. These amounts must be met before eligible medical expenses can be shared.
Member MRA: This is the initial amount each member must pay per calendar year before eligible expenses are shared. It applies to any amount that is not related to office, wellness, follow-up, or sick visits. Amounts range from $500 to $7,500 depending on the chosen program.
Office, urgent care, and specialist visit MRA: This requires members to pay $35 per visit for Diamond and Emerald, which does not apply toward the member MRA. For Sapphire and Ruby, up to $300 of charges per visit apply toward the member MRA.
Maternity and Adoption MRAs: These responsibility amounts are $5,000 per pregnancy or adoption event and are available only to Diamond and Emerald members.
Cancer MRA: This amount also varies by program. For Diamond and Emerald members, the cancer MRA decreases from $4,000 in year one, to $3,000 in year two, and to $2,000 from year three onward, and is subject to annual and lifetime limits. For Sapphire and Ruby members, their Member MRA applies and is subject to annual and lifetime limits.
Pre-existing Conditions and Cancer Sharing
Altrua HealthShare has extensive rules and restrictions on sharing pre-existing conditions. According to Altrua HealthShare’s guidelines, conditions for which members received medical advice or treatment during the 10 years prior to their membership start date are considered pre-existing and may be subject to sharing limitations of two years, five years, or a lifetime, depending on the condition.
For example:
- Asthma and hypertension have two-year limitations.
- Cancer and Crohn’s disease have five-year limitations.
- Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis have lifetime limitations.
Cancer treatment is subject to additional restrictions, even when the cancer is not considered pre-existing.
- Diamond and Emerald members have a 90-day waiting period, screening requirements, and a $10,000 sharing maximum during the first membership year.
- Sapphire and Ruby members have a 12-month waiting period, after which regular annual and lifetime sharing limits apply.
Noteworthy
Here is some key information we believe potential members may want to know about this HealthShare.
Key considerations
- Uses the First Health Network. (Members may owe additional charges when seeing out-of-network providers.)
- Lifetime sharing limits apply to all programs; annual sharing limits apply to some.
- Members who exceed the membership’s weight standard may have an increase in their monthly contributions.
Membership requirements
- Agree to Altrua HealthShare’s Statement of Standards
- Make monthly contributions to maintain active membership
- Submit a signed Membership Commitment Form for all members of the household
Pros
- 30-day trial period
- Six pooled office visits per member; unused office visits may be shared with other members on the same membership
- Dental sharing called SmileShare
- Discounts on vision, hearing, prescriptions, and other health services
- Adoption expenses shareable for Diamond and Emerald members, excluding Texas residents
- Children may have a membership with or without their parents
Cons
- $100 annual renewal fee
- Lifetime sharing limits apply
- Limited sharing for pre-existing conditions; 10-year lookback period
- Multiple Member Responsibility Amounts (MRAs) apply
- Must be married to be eligible for maternity sharing
Ideal Candidates
- Want a customizable membership through MyShare
- Want the flexibility of pooled office visits
Learn more about Altrua HealthShare by watching this video
Page Updated 10/28/2026
