Preventive Sharing Guide

Learn more about preventive services that are eligible for sharing.

Maternity Guide

Maternity is simple with Zion HealthShare. Learn more about our maternity sharing process.

Sharing Request Guide

Ready to submit a sharing request? Learn more about the sharing request process.

IUA Guide

The Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) may be a new concept for you. Learn more about the IUA.

HealthShare Beginnings

Medical cost sharing organizations, also known as HealthShares, began in the 1980s when a beloved pastor in Ohio was involved in a terrible automobile accident. His congregation came together to pay his medical bills—in full, in just forty-five days. This same community decided to continue following the biblical mandate to “bear one another’s burdens” by sharing healthcare costs in a simple yet practical way.
 
Members of HealthShares across the country share one another’s medical expenses in a similar fashion. This system has proven to be an effective alternative to traditional health insurance. Members enjoy the freedom, stability, and flexibility of medical cost sharing while keeping more money in their own pockets.
 
Zion HealthShare began facilitating medical cost sharing with its members in 2019 and has since become the fastest-growing, top-rated HealthShare in the nation. Learning from the organizations that came before, Zion HealthShare was founded with the mission to reimagine what medical cost sharing could be and better serve member needs amid the rapidly changing environment of American healthcare.

Our Mission

Zion HealthShare offers superior quality service to our community. Our goal is to change the healthcare industry by connecting like-minded individuals to an innovative and affordable medical cost sharing community. We are a community that employees are proud to be a part of, medical professionals prefer for their patients, and members love and recommend to their family and friends.

Principles of Membership

Adherence to the Zion HealthShare Principles of Membership minimizes medical risks, encourages good health practices, and ensures member integrity and accountability. Our members must comply with certain requirements to maintain membership and remain eligible to participate in our medical cost sharing community.
 

Zion HealthShare members are expected to act with honor and integrity. Members should not falsify a sharing request, medical records, or use other deceptive practices. If a member abuses the trust of our community, their membership may be revoked or withdrawn.

All Zion HealthShare members must attest to the following statements:

1. I believe that a community of ethical, health-conscious people can most effectively care for one another by directly sharing the costs associated with each other’s healthcare needs. I acknowledge that Zion HealthShare affiliates itself with, and considers itself accountable to, a higher power. I recognize that Zion HealthShare welcomes members of all faiths.
 
2. I understand that Zion HealthShare is a benevolent organization, not an insurance entity, and that Zion HealthShare cannot guarantee payment of medical expenses.
 
3. I will practice good health measures and strive for a balanced lifestyle. I agree to abstain from the use of any illicit or illegal drugs and refrain from excessive alcohol consumption, acts which are harmful to the body. I understand that members who use tobacco will have an increased monthly contribution (per household) of $50.
 
4. I am obligated to care for my family. I believe that mental, physical, emotional, or other abuse of a family member, or any other person, is morally wrong. I am committed to always treating my family and others with care and respect.
 
5. I agree to submit to mediation followed by subsequent binding arbitration, if needed, for any instance of a dispute with Zion HealthShare or its affiliates.

Membership Eligibility

Membership eligibility is primarily based on:

1.          Adherence to the Zion HealthShare Principles of Membership.

2.         Participation in the community by submitting monthly contributions.

3.         Reside in the United States or Puerto Rico.

After committing to these primary eligibility requirements, prospective members are eligible to join the Zion HealthShare community. Membership may begin on a date selected by the prospective member or specified by Zion HealthShare, known as the membership start date. The prospective member’s monthly contribution must be received within 15 days of the agreed-upon membership start date. Once the first monthly contribution has been received membership is considered active.

Membership Requirements

Zion HealthShare offers different membership options for individuals and families. Monthly contributions are based on the membership type (Direct or Essential), age group, and initial unshareable amount (IUA).

Sharing Requests

Sharing requests are submitted on a per member, per medical need basis. A medical need is the reason for which a member submits a sharing request. This includes, but is not limited to, preventive visits, maternity, an accident, or a serious medical incident. Each medical need may result in medical expenses incurred by receiving medically necessary treatment from licensed medical professionals and facilities, such as physicians, emergency rooms, and hospital facilities.

When a member has a medical expense to be shared, the member must submit a sharing request. Once their sharing request is open, the member must submit original, itemized bills for the medical expense within six months of treatment. Bills submitted more than six months after the date of service may be considered ineligible for sharing. There is no lifetime limit on the number of eligible expenses that may be shared.

The Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA)

The initial unshareable amount, or IUA, is the amount a member must pay before expenses related to a medical need become shareable with the medical cost sharing community. We have three membership IUA options: $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000.

After the IUA is met, additional eligible medical expenses are shareable with the Zion HealthShare community. There is no annual or lifetime limit on eligible expenses. Members do not need to pay another IUA for any given sharing request until they are symptom free for 12 months. Additionally, members will not be responsible for more than three IUAs in a rolling 12-month period.

Submission of Sharing Requests

We strive to share medical expenses in a timely, accurate manner. To do this, it is crucial for members to submit sharing requests correctly and include all required documentation.

Pre-Membership Medical Conditions

To keep membership contributions low for all members, we implement a waiting period for sharing of medical conditions that existed prior to a member’s membership start date. We call such medical conditions: pre-membership medical conditions. This section defines pre-membership medical conditions and outlines related sharing limitations.

Pre-Membership Medical Conditions Guide

Medical Expenses Eligible for Sharing

The following list reflects sharing limitations for certain conditions or requirements for certain expenses to become eligible. All shareable expenses are subject to the member’s IUA.

Medical Expenses Ineligible for Sharing

The Zion HealthShare medical cost sharing community chooses not to share in some medical expenses. Decisions for sharing eligibility are made to benefit all members by keeping monthly contributions low and sharing in medical expenses based on our Principles of Membership. The following expenses are excluded from sharing with the Zion HealthShare community.

Preventive Services

Zion HealthShare shares specific preventive services with the Direct Membership or with the additional Preventive Sharing service added to the Essential Membership. Preventive sharing is not subject to the IUA. Members should take advantage of the Medical Advocacy service as it is a complimentary resource to help them locate low-cost facilities.

Zion HealthShare references the following resources regarding preventive sharing:

  • US Preventive Services Task Force
  • American Cancer Society
  • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention Guidelines
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American Academy of Family Physicians

See the Preventive Medical Sharing Guide for more details.

Maternity Sharing Requests

View Zion HealthShare’s Maternity Guide to learn more.

Additional Giving

Members are encouraged to give funds in addition to their standard monthly contributions. One hundred percent of Additional Giving contributions are placed in the Additional Giving fund, which is used solely to assist members who have a sharing request that would not normally qualify for sharing. Additional Giving funds are not subject to any administrative costs. Additional Giving is not mandatory, and members may contribute however much they feel is appropriate.

All members who adhere to the Principles of Membership and follow the Member Guidelines are eligible to apply for assistance through the Additional Giving fund via an Additional Giving sharing request. Members may apply when they have an ineligible sharing request.

End Of Life Assistance

If a member, or someone in the member’s household membership, dies after one year of uninterrupted membership, the Zion HealthShare community may provide financial assistance after receiving a copy of the death certificate. The surviving family may receive $10,000 per deceased household member.

Membership Withdrawal

Members (including a spouse or adult child) may withdraw their membership, completely or from a specific household, at any time. All requests that take place on a holiday or weekend will not be processed until the following business day.  The membership will remain active until the end of the household’s current billing cycle. Zion HealthShare cannot backdate withdrawals and therefore does not prorate withdrawals or provide refunds. Requests for membership withdrawal must be made in writing to Member Care Admin at mcadmin@zionhealthshare.org or over the phone with one of our representatives at 888-920-9466. The request must include (1) the reason for withdrawal and (2) the requested membership end date. Once a membership is withdrawn any open sharing requests and all future sharing requests will no longer be eligible for sharing (unless the membership is reinstated before thirty (30) days). Members should plan accordingly.

Note: Only the primary member may remove other members from the membership.

Disclaimer

Zion HealthShare is not an insurance company. Neither this publication nor membership in Zion HealthShare are issued or offered by an insurance company. The purpose of the Member Guidelines is to help members understand and identify medical needs that may qualify for member sharing and the process by which member-to-member sharing is facilitated. The Member Guidelines are not for the purpose of defining the amounts that Zion HealthShare community will reimburse or share into. While the Zion HealthShare community has shared in all eligible member sharing requests to date, membership does not guarantee or promise that all eligible sharing requests will be shared. Rather, membership in the Zion HealthShare community merely guarantees the opportunity for members to share the financial burden in another member’s time of need. The financial assistance members receive will come from other members’ monthly contributions and not from Zion HealthShare.

THIS PUBLICATION AND MEMBERSHIP IN ZION HEALTHSHARE SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTITUTE FOR A HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY. IF THE COST-SHARING COMMUNITY IS UNABLE TO SHARE ALL OR PART OF A MEMBER’S ELIGIBLE MEDICAL SHARING REQUEST, THE MEMBER WILL REMAIN SOLELY FINANCIALLY LIABLE FOR ANY AND ALL UNPAID MEDICAL EXPENSES. THESE GUIDELINES DO NOT CREATE A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE CONTRACT BETWEEN ZION HEALTHSHARE AND ANY OF ITS MEMBERS. NEITHER THESE GUIDELINES NOR ANY OTHER ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN MEMBERS AND ZION HEALTHSHARE CREATE ANY RIGHTS FOR ANY MEMBER AS A RECIPROCAL BENEFICIARY, A THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARY, OR OTHERWISE. AN EXCEPTION TO A SPECIFIC PROVISION OF THESE GUIDELINES ONLY MODIFIES THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION AND DOES NOT SUPERSEDE OR VOID ANY OTHER PROVISION. THE DECISION BY ZION HEALTHSHARE TO REIMBURSE A MEMBER’S ELIGIBLE SHARING REQUEST DOES NOT AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF THIS PROVISION OR ESTABLISH BY ESTOPPEL OR ANY OTHER MEANS ANY OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF ZION HEALTHSHARE TO REIMBURSE A MEMBER’S ELIGIBLE SHARING REQUEST. TO SEE YOUR STATE NOTICE AND REGULATIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBITE.

Click here to see historical Member Guidelines.

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