More than 22 million people rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces for health insurance. However, policy instability and rapidly increasing expenses threaten to strip coverage from millions, leading some to seek non-traditional alternatives like health sharing programs.
The primary driver of this crisis is the looming expiration of enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) at the end of this year. If Congress fails to extend these credits, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that about 4 million people will lose their marketplace coverage and become uninsured. On top of rising health care costs, federal actions mean insurers are expected to increase gross premiums by almost 20 percent on average.
This financial shock is forcing difficult choices upon low- and moderate-income families. For instance, a family of four making $85,000 could see their required annual premium contribution nearly double if the enhanced PTCs expire, resulting in an increase of $3,660.
Furthermore, households with incomes greater than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) would lose the credit entirely. These cost spikes, coupled with new policy barriers—such as regulations prohibiting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from enrolling in marketplace coverage—are causing individuals to re-evaluate traditional insurance.
As ACA coverage grows less affordable, many Americans are turning to health sharing programs as a potential solution. WeShare, a program administered by Unite Health Share Ministries™ (UHSM), is a nonprofit, religious healthcare sharing ministry that facilitates member-to-member sharing of medical expenses.
Health sharing programs emphasize cost-effectiveness, offering members the potential to save up to 50% on annual healthcare costs. WeShare offers programs for personal and family use starting from $133/month, with options like the Catastrophic Program (from $119/month) for preventive and major unexpected care, and the Comprehensive Program (from $149/month) for broader health and wellness support.
This option is attractive to the 1.7 million Americans who have already chosen health sharing as their cost-effective alternative. WeShare members gain access to vast networks, including 1.2 million doctors and hospitals and 68,000 pharmacies, often utilizing pre-negotiated rates.
It is important for consumers to understand that WeShare® is not an insurance company.
While extending PTC enhancements would protect people currently enrolled in the ACA Marketplace, health sharing ministries offer a distinct, community-based alternative for those seeking relief from soaring traditional health insurance premiums.