As nonprofit entities, most HealthShare organizations practice financial transparency. Many release self-reported financial data, while federal tax form 990s are also publicly available for most major organizations. To determine the proportion of a HealthShare’s contributions allocated to meeting member needs, various sources of information can be consulted, including an organization’s reports to members, independent audits, and tax summaries on non-profit information repositories. For this analysis, however, only available 990 tax forms were used.
Are member contributions set aside for member needs?
The following tables provide a comparative overview of eight major HealthShare organizations, showcasing the percentage of member contributions allocated to member needs in the specified year.
Note: three prominent HealthShares are missing from these tables due to a lack of publicly available financial data.
2020 |
|||||
| HealthShare | Total Contributions | Total Shared | Admin Costs | Share Rate | Member Needs Allocation |
| Altrua HealthShare | $19,674,904 | $16,530,739 | $4,201,820 | 84% | 79% |
| Christian Healthcare Ministries | $629,993,242 | $626,205,856 | $10,430,218 | 99% | 98% |
| Liberty HealthShare | $55,782,788 | $26,860,026 | $26,222,912 | 48% | 53% |
| OneShare Health | $139,114,469 | $122,281,368 | $23,495,176 | 88% | 83% |
| Samaritan Ministries | $45,035,752 | $39,522,873 | $11,863,135 | 88% | 74% |
| Solidarity HealthShare | $31,877,364 | $29,170,370 | $2,495,782 | 92% | 92% |
| Zion HealthShare | $9,257,742 | $4,446,484 | $404,131 | 48% | 96% |
Table 1: HealthShare Member Needs Allocation for 2020
2021 |
|||||
| HealthShare | Total Contributions | Total Shared | Admin Costs | Share Rate | Member Needs Allocation |
| Altrua HealthShare | $23,528,646 | $18,164,884 | $4,275,998 | 77% | 82% |
| Christian Healthcare Ministries | $681,260,087 | $661,821,399 | $11,221,339 | 97% | 98% |
| Liberty HealthShare | $52,923,721 | $20,132,754 | $23,171,336 | 38% | 56% |
| OneShare Health | $117,237,986 | $83,203,896 | $9,068,983 | 71% | 92% |
| Samaritan Ministries | $49,461,493 | $41,120,406 | $12,168,807 | 83% | 75% |
| Solidarity HealthShare | $17,803,248 | $14,782,833 | $1,688,995 | 83% | 91% |
| Zion HealthShare | $30,278,817 | $21,423,188 | $512,213 | 71% | 98% |
Table 2: HealthShare Member Needs Allocation for 2021
Understanding HealthShare share rates and member need allocation
When analyzing the financial information of these HealthShares, one critical metric stands out: the member need allocation. This figure reveals how much of the contribution revenue is being allocated to meet member needs, irrespective of whether that amount has been requested by members or not. In other words, this is how much money the company is setting aside for its members’ needs. For example, Zion HealthShare allocates over 90% of its contribution revenue to meet member needs.
Some consumers may be more interested in an organization’s share rate (or how much they shared out of the funds collected that year). However, this figure is entirely dependent on how much money members have requested. If members don’t have as many medical needs in a year, they won’t ask for as much from the contribution pool.
It is also important to consider the implications of high share rates. While demonstrating a high share rate may seem promising, such as Christian Healthcare Ministries, it is possible that the closer a share rate gets to 100%, the closer a HealthShare organization might be to prorating reimbursements for member needs, or increasing their membership dues. While an assessment could be made of a HealthShare organization’s financial health based on what they are able to distribute, another major factor to consider is what they have set aside for future needs.
Consequently, while assessing a HealthShare company’s financial information, members should consider both the share rate and the member needs allocation. This comprehensive view provides a more accurate picture of how contributions are managed. The HealthShare industry presents no shortage of benefits, with each organization offering different advantages. By understanding the percentage of contributions directed toward member needs, prospective members can make a more informed decision about which HealthShare best aligns with their healthcare goals and financial expectations.
Looking deeper into HealthShare operations
While financial overviews can provide a helpful snapshot of a HealthShare’s operations, prospective members should recognize that they may not capture the full context. For instance, the share rate is just one aspect of an organization’s performance and doesn’t necessarily reflect its overall value or quality of the services provided. Furthermore, some of these figures are somewhat dated given the rapid growth many of these organizations have experienced recently. Therefore, HealthShare Guide encourages prospective members to delve deeper into a HealthShare’s records, engaging directly with the organization to gain an up-to-date understanding of its financial health and how contributions are utilized. This comprehensive approach can yield a more accurate and personalized assessment of which HealthShare may best suit their needs and interests.
Update
As part of HealthShare Guide’s commitment to providing accurate and up-to-date information, we are currently working on collecting each company’s 2022 reports. Below are the two companies that we currently have information for. As these filings become publicly available we will fill in the table and provide links to the information.
Zion HealthShare’s 2022 Form 990
- Total Contributions: $54,123,457
- Total Shared:$48,494,549
- Admin Costs: $4,821,143
- Share Rate: 90%
- Member Need Allocation: 91%
Christian Healthcare Ministries’ 2022 Form 990
- Total Contributions: $762,912,401
- Total Shared:$706,317,799
- Admin Costs: $6,335,195
- Share Rate: 93%
- Member Need Allocation: 99%
Public Financial Sources
Altrua HealthShare: 990 Tax Forms
Christian Healthcare Ministries: 990 Tax Forms
Liberty HealthShare: 990 Tax Forms
OneShare Health: 990 Tax Forms
Samaritan Ministries: 990 Tax Forms
Solidarity HealthShare: 990 Tax Forms
Zion HealthShare: 990 Tax Forms
It should be noted that Medi-Share was excluded from the tables above because there are no full Form 990s available for 2020-2021. Self-reported financial information for this organization can be found here.
