Founded in 2013 (doing business since 2014), Liberty HealthShare serves 280,000 members from its Ohio base. Liberty Healthcare, a “healthcare sharing ministry of Gospel Light Mennonite Church Medical Aid Plan, Inc.”, does not have a recommended provider network and members are free to choose their own doctors and facilities. Liberty HealthShare values member privacy. Members may choose how their names appear on their accounts, member diagnoses are hidden so only the medical expense can be seen, and membership dues are transferred directly from member to member instead of first being deposited into a company bank account.
Because Liberty HealthShare does not have a recommended provider network, service appears to be available nationwide. Liberty offers a telehealth service and a payment method called “Sharebox.” Sharebox lets members see exactly where their membership dues go, and also allows them to send messages of encouragement, prayer, and healing to others in the community.
Like most healthshares, there are some restrictions on pre-existing conditions. Usually, no costs for these conditions are shareable until the member reaches their second year of membership. However, Liberty has a unique program called HealthTrac. Some conditions that can be managed with lifestyle changes (such as those related to obesity or tobacco use) are eligible for sharing during the first year as long as the member is enrolled the HealthTrac coaching program and meets their health goals. HealthTrac costs an additional $80 per month, and members in the program must meet with their health coach and primary care provider monthly. HealthTrac is not optional; hopeful members with some long-term conditions are only allowed to join Liberty after agreeing to participate in HealthTrac. Members who do not meet their healthcare goals after 1 year have their membership cancelled.
Membership Requirements:
Members must believe:
- that personal rights and liberties are bestowed by God, not granted by government or men
- every individual has the right to worship the God of the Bible in his or her own way
- that it is a biblical and ethical obligation to assist others
- that it is a duty to have a healthy lifestyle and avoid anything that can cause bad health
- that it is a right to direct their own healthcare free from government dictates, restraints, and oversight
Members must also not use tobacco. Members who use tobacco products must stop within 6 months of joining and then pass a nicotine test.
Key Considerations:
- 90-day waited period for most expenses, minimum
- National availability
- No provider network
- Discounts for prescriptions and some services
- Accepts members older than 65 for an extra cost
- Pre-existing conditions might be shareable
- Annual Unshared Amounts (AUA) work like a traditional deductible
- Liberty Select shares up to $500,000 per incident on eligible medical expenses
- Liberty Share shares up to 70% up to 125,000 per incident on eligible medical expenses
- Liberty Plus shares up to $125,000 per incident on eligible medical expenses
- Liberty Complete shares up to $1,000,000 per incident on eligible medical expenses
Pros:
- Liberty’s use of HealthShareRx and SavNet Savings Program gives discounts on prescriptions and providers
- Membership includes access to the Healthcare Blue Book to check pricing
- Four program options ($199-$399 per month for an individual plan)
- Sharing options for pre-existing conditions, either with HealthTrac or in the second year of membership
- Ability to see exactly who membership costs helped
- Health coaching program for some health conditions
- Can send and receive supportive messages
- Telehealth service
- Some preventive services may be shareable
- Low Annual Unshared Amounts (AUA) for most plans ($1000/single, $1750/couple, $2250/family). AUAs work like a traditional deductible – sharing begins after the amount is met.
- Accepts members over 65 for $25 dollars more per month
- Pregnant members are given a Maternity Facilitator to help them
Cons:
- A woman must be a member before her child’s conception for maternity costs to be shareable. Also, pregnancies must be approved by a review team, otherwise, the costs are not shareable.
- No mental health assistance
- Dental, vision, hearing, and chiropractic care are not shareable · Extremely slow payments. Members say it often takes longer than 180 days for claims to be paid or reimbursed; many negative reviews mention bills going to collections
- Confusing Annual Unshared Amounts (AUA). Members report that for some expenses, only part of the bill was applied to their AUA, making it take much longer for them to reach the amount that will allow their expenses to be shared
- The cheapest plan has a much higher AUA ($6000/single, $12000/couple, $15000/family)
- Reviews suggest that the company is not helpful
- Reviews suggest that Liberty HealthShare bases their payments for bills on what members would pay if they were on Medicare, which frustrates providers
Ideal Candidates:
- Are in great health and do not use tobacco
- Can afford to pay their own bills in full and wait for reimbursement
- Value having no restrictions on which providers they can choose
- Want to help others
- Value privacy
- Want to see where their membership dues are going
