Best Christian Health Share Plans USA: Costs and Limits

Medically reviewed by Jawad Arshad, MD, FACEP. Last reviewed: September 30, 2026.

Disclosure: Christian health share plans and the membership offered by Summit Health Benefits are membership-based coverage. Membership-based coverage is not insurance, is not regulated as insurance, and does not guarantee payment of medical bills.

Christian health share plans let members pool money to pay each other's medical bills, and each ministry sets its own rules on cost, limits and faith. The right choice depends on your budget, your health history, and whether you want a faith requirement. This guide compares the four largest programs using each ministry's own published terms.

Key facts

• Health care sharing ministries are not insurance and cannot guarantee payment of claims, and 30 states exempt them from insurance rules (NAIC, 2022).
• Christian Healthcare Ministries lists a maximum lifetime limit of $125,000 for each illness on its base programs, and $1 million per illness on CHM Plus (Christian Healthcare Ministries FAQ, 2026).
• Liberty HealthShare lists sharing of up to $300,000 per incident on Liberty Freedom and up to $1,000,000 per incident on Liberty Connect and Liberty Unite (Liberty HealthShare, 2026).
• Christian Healthcare Ministries 2026 monthly contributions run from $115 per unit on Bronze to $299 per unit on Gold (Christian Healthcare Ministries, 2026).
• Samaritan Ministries lists monthly shares starting at $95 on REDEEM Essential and $210 on Samaritan Classic (Samaritan Ministries, 2026).
• Health care sharing ministries can exclude pre-existing conditions, and ACA rules on essential benefits and out-of-pocket limits do not apply to them (NAIC, 2022).

What are the best Christian health share plans in the USA?

The best Christian health share plan is the one whose limits, cost and faith rules fit your household. The four largest sharing ministries are Samaritan Ministries, Christian Healthcare Ministries, Medi-Share and Liberty HealthShare. None is insurance, and each sets its own rules, so compare their written guidelines side by side.

Each one calls itself a ministry, not an insurer. Samaritan Ministries states, "We are not insurance" (Samaritan Ministries, 2026). Christian Healthcare Ministries states, "We're not insurance" (CHM, 2026). Liberty HealthShare states, "we're not health insurance" (Liberty HealthShare, 2026). Medi-Share states it "is not insurance and is not regulated as insurance" (Medi-Share, 2017 member guide article).

Prices change every year, and "starting at" prices apply to the lowest tier. Check the ministry's current guidelines before you decide. Our best healthshare plans review compares more programs, including ones with no faith requirement.

How do Christian sharing ministries compare on limits?

Christian health share plans differ most on the cap the ministry puts on what it will share. Those caps decide how much you owe if a large bill arrives.

Liberty HealthShare also lists a member Co-Share on some programs: 20% on Liberty Essential, 10% on Liberty Connect, and none on Liberty Unite (Liberty HealthShare, 2026).

Here is a worked example. It is hypothetical and uses the published limits. A member has an illness that produces $200,000 in eligible bills. Under a Christian Healthcare Ministries base program with a $125,000 per-illness limit, the ministry stops at $125,000 and the member faces the remaining $75,000 ($200,000 minus $125,000). Under CHM Plus at $1 million per illness, the limit is not reached. On a $50,000 eligible bill with Liberty Essential, a 20% Co-Share is $10,000, and with Liberty Connect, a 10% Co-Share is $5,000, before any annual unshareable amount or program limit that applies separately.

Do health share plans have lifetime limits?

Yes, many do, and the limit is often per illness rather than per person. Christian Healthcare Ministries states a maximum lifetime limit of $125,000 for each illness on its base programs (CHM FAQ, 2026).

Some ministries state a per-incident cap instead. Liberty HealthShare lists per-incident caps from $300,000 to $1,000,000 depending on the program (Liberty HealthShare, 2026). The two are not the same thing. A per-incident cap resets with each new incident. A lifetime limit per illness follows one condition for as long as you are a member.

If you want no stated cap, read the guidelines line by line. A page that does not mention a cap is not a promise that none exists. Our health share waiting periods guide shows what else to read before you sign up.

Are Christian health sharing ministries insurance?

No. Christian health share plans are not insurance, and they are not required to pay. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says these ministries "are not insurance and can't guarantee the payment of claims" (NAIC, 2022).

That has three practical effects. State insurance regulators do not oversee the ministries, and 30 states explicitly exempt them from insurance rules while 20 states and Washington, DC do not (NAIC, 2022). ACA protections such as covering pre-existing conditions and limiting out-of-pocket costs do not apply (NAIC, 2022). And the ministry is not legally required to share your bill, even if it is eligible.

Do Christian health sharing ministries cover pre-existing conditions?

Usually only after a waiting period, and often with limits. Christian Healthcare Ministries defines a pre-existing condition as any condition with signs, symptoms, testing or treatment before you join, and it stops counting a condition as pre-existing after one year without them (CHM FAQ, 2026). For cancer, CHM lists five years without signs, symptoms, testing or treatment (CHM FAQ, 2026).

CHM also states that bills must be submitted within six months of the date of service, and that eligible bills are shared in the order received, typically within 60 to 75 days (CHM FAQ, 2026). Other ministries set their own waiting periods, so compare them in writing.

What do Christian sharing ministries not cover?

Christian health share plans generally do not cover what their guidelines exclude, and the exclusions can be broad. Faith-based programs may exclude care tied to lifestyle rules, and they can decline pre-existing conditions (NAIC, 2022).

CHM states that adult members must attend worship regularly as health permits, follow the teachings of the New Testament, and keep a lifestyle consistent with its Statements of Beliefs, including abstaining from tobacco and illegal drugs (CHM FAQ, 2026). A member who cannot meet those terms may not qualify. Ask each ministry for its list of ineligible expenses before you join, since that list, not the marketing page, controls what is shared.

Is there a non-religious alternative to a Christian sharing ministry?

Yes. Summit Health Benefits offers a Health Membership for Individuals and Families, which lists no faith requirement on its plan page. Its HealthShare feature has a $2,500 out-of-pocket cap per need, and the page states that membership is not insurance (Summit Health Benefits, 2026).

The membership includes virtual urgent care, virtual primary care, a prescription program, mental health counseling, dental and vision, and HealthShare for procedures, surgeries, specialist visits, labs and imaging (Summit Health Benefits, 2026). Pricing varies by household, and the plan page does not list a price, so ask an advisor for a quote. Read our self-employed health insurance guide if you are choosing between this and a marketplace plan.

What should I ask a health sharing ministry before I join?

Ask the ministry for its written guidelines, then use these questions. You can copy them into an email.

1. What is the monthly cost for my age and household, and how much did it rise last year?
2. What is the annual amount I pay before sharing begins?
3. Is there a per-incident cap or a lifetime limit per illness, and what are the amounts?
4. How is a pre-existing condition defined, and how long is the waiting period?
5. What lifestyle or faith terms apply, and who decides if I meet them?
6. How long does it take to share a bill, and what is the deadline to submit one?
7. What happens if the ministry cannot share a bill in full?
8. Does the program cover maternity, mental health and prescriptions?

For a 1099 worker choosing between coverage types, our COBRA alternatives guide also covers short-term gaps. If you would rather talk to a person first, reach a licensed advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Not All Products are Health Insurance: Health Care Sharing Ministries, Discount Plans and Risk-Sharing Plans (November 2022); Christian Healthcare Ministries, FAQs and 2026 monthly contribution amounts (2026); Samaritan Ministries, program pages (2026); Liberty HealthShare, program pages (2026); Medi-Share, What's an Annual Household Portion (2017); Summit Health Benefits, Individuals and Families plan page (2026).