Does Liberty HealthShare count as insurance?

No, Liberty HealthShare is not insurance and does not count as insurance coverage. This is an important distinction that affects both legal status and member expectations. Liberty HealthShare is a healthcare sharing ministry—a faith-based organization where members voluntarily share each other's medical expenses based on Christian values and principles of mutual aid.

Legal Classification

Liberty HealthShare operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable Christian medical cost-sharing ministry. The organization explicitly states that it "is not an insurance company nor is it offered through an insurance company." Healthcare sharing ministries are exempt from insurance regulations because they function as voluntary member-to-member sharing communities rather than as insurance products with contractual guarantees.

This classification has important implications. Liberty HealthShare's sharing programs "do not guarantee or promise that a member's medical bills will be paid or assigned to others for payment." Whether anyone chooses to contribute toward a member's medical bills is entirely voluntary, and members remain personally liable for any unpaid bills regardless of whether they receive payments for medical expenses.

Federal Recognition Under the ACA

While Liberty HealthShare is not insurance, it does hold an important federal designation. In 2014, the ministry received federal recognition as an eligible healthcare sharing ministry under the Affordable Care Act, making members exempt from ACA insurance mandates. This positioned Liberty HealthShare among a limited number of ministries to receive federal acknowledgment, allowing members to participate in healthcare sharing without facing penalties for not carrying traditional health insurance.

This exemption recognizes healthcare sharing ministries as a distinct category—neither insurance nor uninsured status, but rather an alternative approach to healthcare financing rooted in faith-based community support.

How It Functions Differently

The fundamental difference lies in the relationship between the organization and its members. Insurance companies enter into legally binding contracts that obligate them to pay covered claims according to policy terms. Liberty HealthShare, by contrast, facilitates voluntary sharing among members who support one another based on shared faith and values.

As Chief Executive Officer Dorsey Morrow explains, Liberty HealthShare's role is purely facilitative: "We're not trying to make a profit on this. Our focus is we facilitate and that's it. There's no other objective on our part. We just want to help our members get the best care possible at the best value." This facilitation model prioritizes member needs and community support over the contractual obligations and profit motives that characterize insurance companies.

Important Considerations

Because Liberty HealthShare is not insurance, it should never be considered a substitute for an insurance policy. The voluntary nature of sharing means there are no guaranteed payments, and members maintain personal responsibility for their medical bills. However, for individuals who align with the ministry's Christian values and prefer a community-based approach to healthcare financing, Liberty HealthShare offers an alternative model that has served members successfully for 30 years.

Understanding that Liberty HealthShare is not insurance helps set appropriate expectations about how the ministry operates and what members can expect from their participation in this faith-based sharing community.