As obsessed as I am with achieving financial stability and financial freedom, I cannot put those goals above my health. It’s important to put my health first. And I think all of us could benefit from regular checkups and putting our mental and physical well-being at the top of our list. And that’s what insurance and HSAs are supposed to help out with right? Here’s my Liberty HealthShare review, and if it will work for your health goals.
Table of Contents
What is Liberty HealthShare?
Liberty HealthShare is one of several health-sharing ministries that are ACA-approved alternatives to health insurance. It is not actual health insurance, but as a member, you’re not considered ‘uninsured’ either. It’s kind of in that gray space that I never knew existed with health insurance.
Liberty HealthShare members don’t pay a ‘premium’ each month. But they pay a mandatory fee which will be shared among members who have medical expenses for that month. So in a way, it’s very much like a group of individuals who share each other’s medical expenses vs. having a private company pay for it. If you were a member and had medical bills, other members’ monthly contributions would fund your medical expenses and vice versa.
There’s an annual unshared amount (AUA) for each member. This is similar to a deductible, which is an amount that can not be shared. Once you pay your AUA, which is $500 per individual, Liberty Health Share will cover all of your doctor appointments, medical tests, and any other medical expenses depending on which plan you choose.
Different Plans Include:
- Liberty Essential: Up to $600,000 (per incident) of fair & reasonable eligible medical expenses are shareable after AUA has been met. Members pay a 25% co-share. Medical costs are shared on a per person, per incident basis, for illnesses or injuries incurring medical expenses when treated by physicians, urgent care facilities, clinics, emergency rooms, or hospitals (inpatient and outpatient)
- Liberty Connect: Up to $1,000,000 (per incident) of eligible medical expenses are shareable after AUA has been met. Members pay a 15% co-share.
- Liberty Unite: Up to $1,000,000 (per incident) of eligible medical expenses are shareable after AUA has been met.
- Liberty Rise: A program ideal for young adults and married couples (18-29 years old) who don’t have children. Up to $50,000 (per year) of medical expenses are eligible for sharing.
What I Like About Liberty Healthshare
As you can probably already assume, I decided to opt out of the ACA. Instead, I enrolled in Liberty HealthShare this year. A few months back, a reader asked me to provide a review about this particular healthcare option. So I thought it was I’d give my honest opinion about the program in this review.
While the monthly fee or ‘premium’ is low and manageable for me, I love the flexibility of the coverage. I can’t name every little medical expense in this post. But when I signed up I received a detailed list of the services and incidents that were covered under Liberty Health Share and it’s very similar to a private insurance company if not better. Members receive a free wellness check-up. Hospital stays, medical tests, and x-rays are all covered.
As I member, I can also choose which doctor or facility I want to go to. With an HMO or PPO, I’d be subjected to finding a doctor within that specific network. Now I have the option to choose a quality care provider as long as the practice accepts my health share card. I was happy to receive a discount card for prescriptions. I’m sure you know this frugal woman loves a discount.
Updates
It seems like I signed up at the right time. Before this year, it was a requirement that you maintain a membership for at least 60 days before you could utilize your sharing benefits. This meant no wellness checkups or any medical expenses for that manner would be covered during the first 60 days). Now that they got rid of that stipulation in 2015, I was able to utilize my sharing benefits as soon as I signed up.
I also like how the annual unshared amount or ‘deductible’ is so low. I signed up thinking All I have to do is cover my medical expenses up to $500 then they will cover the rest no matter what is is, as long as it doesn’t exceed $125,000. I’m aware that some serious medical expenses do exceed $125,000. So the best option would be to go with Liberty Complete just to be safe. If I continue my membership, I will certainly consider upgrading next year but I just wanted to try it out for now.
Recently, I had to go to the doctor and was required to take a few more tests. I also ended up in the emergency room last week due to really bad back pains that I just wanted to get checked out early on. I realized that I needed to hurry up with my AUA if I wanted to avoid medical bills.
My health and well-being will always be more of a priority than my debt payments and financial goals. At the end of the day, money is just money and what you truly need in order to enjoy your life and your loved ones is your health.
What I Don’t Like So Much
I don’t like how Liberty HealthShare is still so foreign to many healthcare providers. When I went to the emergency room I just showed the records department my card. They made a copy of it and there was no problem.
But when I tried to call different practices to set an appointment for my medical follow-up tests, the receptionist wouldn’t even give me availability without confirming whether or not they could accept my ‘insurance’ or not. I was almost confusing myself when I kept explaining, ‘it’s not private insurance, but it’s not Medicaid either. I really dislike how this country is so obsessed with money and insurance. When it comes to healthcare, providers should be a little flexible.
It would save a lot of time if Liberty would break things down into regions. This would help members find providers who are aware of Liberty HealthShare and will willingly accept it. With that being said, if you were using private insurance before and had an HSA (health savings account) you won’t qualify for one. Liberty HealthShare isn’t considered health insurance and instead of a deductible, they use an annual unshared amount.
It’s also important to remember that Liberty HealthShare is a health-sharing ministry based on religious values and standards. This isn’t necessarily something I dislike since I have the same religious values. But it’s definitely something to consider and it may not be for everyone. In order to qualify for a membership, you need to agree with or accept their shared beliefs. It seems pretty reasonable to me.
Liberty Healthcare Pros and Cons
Pros
- Inexpensive for families with different budgets
- Offers RX cards for many members, thus discounting prescriptions
- Cost sharing is fast — usually within just a few weeks
Cons
- May not cover pre-existing conditions
- May not cover “Non-Christian” items, including birth control
- Does not offer additional coverage for items like dental or vision work
Wrapping It Up
I’ll give periodic updates about my experience with this unique type of health coverage. If you have any questions about Liberty HealthShare feel free to email me or give them a call: (855) 585-4237
Update: December 2015
A lot of readers have been contacting me regularly and asking for an update on my honest opinion and experience with Liberty HealthShare. A few months after using Liberty Healthshare, I did a podcast interview. I shared some of my feedback on the program. That interview is now live and you can view it here. I took a peek at the plans and premiums in the marketplace a few weeks ago. I decided to stay with Liberty for another year.
In my interview, I talked about how Liberty helped cover a surgery I had earlier in the year. You can see a screenshot of how they repriced the medical bills and shared the remaining amount among other members. That way I didn’t have to pay for it out of pocket myself.
Liberty HealthShare Review
Health-sharing ministries may not be the perfect solution for everyone, but nothing is perfect when you think about it. It works for me right now in my life. I’m sure it would work for others depending on their situation. I truly and sincerely hope everyone finds affordable and reliable medical coverage for themselves and their families in 2016. If this review or my interview helped give you insight in any way and if you choose to sign up with Liberty HealthShare, I ask that you would mention my name, Chonce Maddox, as a referral. I would receive referral credit and be extremely grateful for your support of me and my blog!
Have you ever used an alternative to private health insurance before? Why or why not?
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anumyoon says
I’m pretty happy with my company’s health insurance policy/coverage for $130 a month, but adding my fiance to the plan would bring that total cost to over $500. So he’s currently not covered by an insurance policy until he gets a job (he’s a year away from finishing grad school). Thanks for reviewing this healthcare option Chonce! I’ll be checking it out as a viable plan for him.
Chonce says
$500 sounds like a lot for 2 people. I’d definitely recommend you check it out and good luck on finding another option!
DC @ Young Adult Money says
I work for a health insurance company (so keep that in mind when you read my comments!) so I’ve always gone with my employer’s insurance (it would be ironic not to). I think healthshares are interesting but I’d have to read about it more to have a full understanding of it. I think you gave an excellent introduction and overview in this post, though. I really don’t like that they have any sort of maximum payouts, though, but I also understand they need to protect themselves. I don’t see how they are any different than “regular” insurance, though, hence why I need to learn more. I can see why providers would be confused about the “insurance” and honestly it’s probably more of a systems/payment integrity issue than anything. Providers have systems in place to make sure they get paid, and if the system has never processed a claim from the “insurance” you have, it needs to be set up so that the claim can run through the system (terribly oversimplifying this and honestly probably butchering the explanation). It’s an interesting concept and I’ll have to read into what makes them “not insurance” because they fit the definition of insurance imo.
Chonce says
Thanks for the insight and you explained it perfectly. I can see why providers would be a little apprehensive but it really doesn’t make my life that much easier as a Liberty HealthShare member. I do believe it’s their job to get established and familiar with providers not mine and that’s the only issue I have currently. Other than that, I’m happy with the coverage and I’m interested in learning more as well about not qualify as insurance but the ACA still approves it as an alternative to insurance. The main difference I see is that it’s more of a community aspect where you make a commitment to contribute to the pot and you actually get to see who you are helping each month then the community backs you up financially when you have medical expenses. Unlike an insurance company, I don’t think the organization itself would be able to cover thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medial expenses if it weren’t the members weren’t contributing every month (but I could be wrong about that).
DC @ Young Adult Money says
I get some aspects how its more personal than insurance, but honestly it sounds just like insurance. Members pay in each week and the dollars go towards members who have bills. I just really struggle seeing how it’s not insurance. Again, I’ll have to look into it more. Thanks again for sharing all your thoughts on the topic!
CDunn says
The point isn’t whether it’s like or not like insurance. The point is that it is more affordable. I am being forced to choose a new healthcare plan which at the minimum will cost my family of 4 $718.00 per month with a $6300 deductible. So, what am I getting for my monthly premium of $718? With Liberty, I would pay at the most $449 a month with a $1500 deductible (even though they don’t call it a deductible….it is). I’m in the beginning stages of checking it out and came across this post. It is definitely something to think about, especially with the so called Affordable Care Act not being so “affordable”.
Luboman says
Right now I’m in between jobs and am considering Liberty HealthShare instead of COBRA as stopgap health insurance, as my COBRA has been jacked up to an exorbitant $768/month from a more manageable $320/month I had with my employer, and with a rather high deductible of $6,000 or so. These costs are what have led me to do some research today on “health ministries,” the most welcoming being Liberty as it is the least onerous when it comes to its “religious pledge.” Thank you Chonce for writing this introductory primer–it really clarified what Liberty is all about, and has now convinced me to join.
As for DC@Young Adult Money, the differences between “health ministries” and proper insurance are subtle and legalistic, but they are there.
The first big difference between “health ministries” and proper insurance is that “health ministries” work on a strictly voluntary basis. When it comes to the law, the de jure intent of an entity’s legal structure is what counts and not its de facto function in the real world. In other words, if it’s a legal fiction then it passes muster, at least here. A “health ministry” is a legal fiction in the sense that it’s a “voluntary” religious association. Though the “voluntary” aspect of it is really not there because an implicit quid pro quo is made between a paying member and the entity–I pay my monetary “share” and you, the entity, promise (and not on a voluntary basis) reimbursement for health service expenses I incur. That makes it very much like proper insurance. But the “voluntariness” is what makes it different–the legal fiction that I “volunteer” my monetary “share” and that the entity “volunteers” to reimburse. The fact that you also volunteer (in the real sense) to waive your right to a trial by jury and to waive the right to sue in a court of law, and to submit to arbitration all disputes with the “health ministry,” also makes it very different from insurance companies, which are not legally permitted to ask this of their members.
The second big difference is that, because it’s a “voluntary” religious institution, a “health ministry” can discriminate on the basis of pre-existing conditions, which insurance companies under Obamacare cannot do. As a result, “health ministries” can cherry-pick the healthiest applicants and reject the sickest ones. This is why they’re way cheaper than all options offered in the Obamacare health exchanges–those companies MUST take up everyone who applies, including the sickest people who will use the vast majority of all health care services. This is what then leads to a surge in premiums and prices for everyone else. And this is why I am now in the market for something like Liberty HealthShare.
A third big difference is the cap on services. Liberty has a cap of $125,000 for every calendar year (I think?) on two of its three policies. I think under Obamacare health insurance companies are not allowed to have such explicit caps on health care services. This, once again, works for the healthy and young, who are the least likely to go over that $125,000 cap.
I’ll call Liberty on Monday and if they answer the few questions I have, I am definitely joining. Good thing that, in this respect, Obamacare allows for some choice–they allow for this “health ministry” exception so that a person like me, who is very healthy and lives a clean lifestyle, can enjoy relatively cheap health insurance.
Charissa says
I agree with you, it is always better to make sure your health is taken care of first! I know several people who have opted to use a Health Share program and like it. You gave a very thorough explanation of how the program works. At least now you have the AUA saved up and you don’t have to worry about it this year. I am sure you will make up the difference on your debt as well
Chonce says
Hopefully so! It seemed like the right decision to just use the money for my AUA instead of my student loan and I’m sure it will motivate me to make more payments this year.
Michelle says
Loved reading this! We keep going back and forth about whether we should switch to Liberty. There are so many things to think about!
Chonce says
I like it so far but it’s all about choosing what’s right for you. Good luck!
believeinabudget says
Oh wow, i have never even heard of this! This is really interesting. I’m over the insurance system in this country and am all for a new way of doing things.There seems to be a big difference between the first 2 plans and Complete though. If I had Liberty Share or Plus for when I wound up in the hospital, it wouldn’t even have covered half of my bills after the max, so that’s a little crazy. Of course, it all comes down to billing and rates and write off’s. I’m really interested to see you write about this more and future reviews on this!
Chonce says
Thanks Kristin! Liberty Complete is the best hands down the best plan and I personally wouldn’t go for the most basic plan they offer because I’d just rather have 100% of my medical bills covered, not just 70%.
saveourlibety says
There are 2 links on this site of a podcast that has the executive director of Liberty Healthshare explaining the system — http://drhurley.net/home/event/liberty-healthshare/
Thanks for your overview and like others, I would like to read some follow-up. It looks like my family will be joining (can’t afford the ‘Affordable’ CA!). I will share our experiences if we go with Liberty.
Drew says
Can I deduct the monthly premium amount on my taxes should I sign up for the Liberty Complete plan?
Choncé says
Hi Drew, I don’t think you can. I would ask a tax professional to be sure though. Thanks!
metonymik says
I’m not so hung up on the terms people use because they’re not correct anyway. I’ve had Blue Shield / Blue Cross for about 3 decades but they don’t pay for anything. ObamaCare is jacking my insurance up again. Four years ago it was about $1,300 per month for 3 people with a $5,000 deductible and they paid for nothing. Two years ago it went up to $2,300 per month for 3 people with $5,000 deductible and they paid for nothing other than about $30 towards my $700 per month of medications and one annual physical for each of us. In January it’s going up to $3,300 per month with a $10,000 deductible and they still pay nothing other than the $30 for meds and one physical per hear. I’m done. I had a kidney stone, I paid all $17,000 of the bill. They don’t pay for meds, doctor appointments, tests, xrays, etc., NOTHING. I’m going to try Liberty Health Shares even if it isn’t “insurance” because the “insurance” that I’ve had for 3 decades isn’t actually “insurance” anyway, it’s a “SCAM”. I quit.
jessicalimarnJess says
Wow, that is CRAZY!
Dale Fortune says
We’ve had BC/BS for 30 years and have had no problems or issues so I don’t know why you think it’s a scam. They pay the medical bills to almost 100% depending on what the medical condition is. Dental 80% hospital and emergency 80 to 90%, vision is not so good but we don’t need or use it, prescriptions are generic and are paid almost 100% of cost. Now my wife is ready to retire at 63 years old and we are considering Liberty Health Share until she qualifies for Medicare.
Dale Fortune says
Forgot to mention that our monthly premium for BC/BS is $289.00 a month for both husband and wife. We have a $1,500.00 dental and a $2,500.00 major medical deductible. Yes we have great insurance through my wife’s work/company.
Kathie says
Wow, you are lucky then. We pay 1125 per month for BC/BS and deductible is 7000! This is for 2 people… OUTRAGEOUS! Also eyes, ears, teeth are not included.
Billie says
Hi Chonce ~ I am considering changing to Liberty Healthcare ~ are you still happy with it? Have you used it successfully?
Choncé says
Hi Billie. Yes I am probably going to stay with it for another year. You can email me if you have specific questions about my experience.
John says
you stated that you are happy with liberty health share and you will probably stay with another year. if your happy why would you say this? I am wondering how happy you are actually with it. After the year what would you go with?
Choncé says
Hi John, I’m still with Liberty. I’m not sure by what you mean when you say “if your happy why would you say this?” if you don’t mind elaborating.
Steve says
Chonce’,
I think he means why did you say you are “probably” going to stay with it for another year. If you really like it, I’d expect you to say “Yes, I really like it.” Your reply sounds luke-warm, not really enthusiastic.
Billie asked you if you have used it successfully. I would like to know the answer to that also. Have you had any difficulty finding doctors that will accept it?
Is there a list anywhere showing which doctors or facilities will accept it?
Is there a list showing what is covered and what is not covered?
Thanks for the review. I’m thinking about signing up for Liberty, but I would like more information.
Also, I am a Christian, but I do not go to church. Will they still let me sign up?
Helen says
We applied today. Have spent enough on insurance with no benefit. Looking forward to my phone conversation on Monday with one of their reps. I have been reading as much as I can find and am not finding any negatives.
pazitive says
we are family of 5 looking into this plan as well. I feel I need to be more educated about that from the personal experience of and not through the company advertisement. does anyone in their search found negative testimonials people who did not have their bills paid?
Mark says
Enjoyed the podcast and appreciate the December update. Very seriously considering this option as we (my wife and I) are retired, pre-Medicare age and are getting hammered by premiums and high deductibles under the so-called ACA mandated insurance options. Share Pazitive’s question above–anyone had any bad experiences as a LHS member, to date? Thanks to Chonce’ and best of luck with your new marriage ahead!
Gigi says
I heard about libertydirect.org via a friend who was listening to me complain about my healthcare going thru the roof. Cigna plan discontinued (hmmm weren’t we told we could keep our plans?). Was $371/month. Coverage for 2016??? $482.79-$805.27 for 2016. 30% at the bare minimum! And this is with a $6,500 deductable. Makes one wonder why Americans were forced into such a horrible system…. Who really benefits from these outlandish prices besides the CEOs (google their salaries and bonuses). Thanks Liberty, I’m not playing into the large insurance companies any longer.
IHeartDagney says
Hi, Gigi:
It isn’t the insurance company’s fault even though they did tout ObamaCare when it was in the planning stage. They liked the “mandate” that everyone had to have insurance. Really quite understandable from a business stand-point. However, forcing them to cover everyone with pre-existing conditions has driven up the costs, not to mention the other mandates like birth control for men and women who don’t need it. Obamacare is NOT insurance, it is welfare and it is designed to fail. Stupid of the insurance companies to get all excited about all the new customers and not the read the 2,700 pages and listen to the LOUD criticism and protests of the unconstitutionality of the law!
No, don’t blame business for being and doing what a business does. Business is not evil. Individuals running a business can be evil, yes. However, insurance companies being stupid dupes in these instances are not completely to blame. I’m sure you realize that government control of our bodies and our lives is evil. So, you might more justifiably blame GOVERNMENT and the people running it because they want nothing more than to buy votes and control our every living breath. THIS is the reason they are destroying our insurance and medical care markets. They wrote Obamacare to fail so that, they think, we will INSIST that they institute single payer and thereby gain even MORE control of our bodies and our lives. Because we all know that when government screws up, the solution is MORE GOVERNMENT! LOL.
Marco says
Exactly. Obamacare is working just as they planned. It was all based on lies and deception from the beginning. http://thefederalist.com/2014/11/24/three-lies-about-obamacare-jonathan-gruber-accidentally-revealed/
Larry says
Nail on the head my friend. Glad to see someone is paying attention. This is the best reply thus far.
kent and sue gordon says
I totally disagree. I signed onto Liberty Health Share and I have made payments for seven months. I just turned into them my bill for my yearly check-up and also for a cortisone shot I need for arthritis from time to time. They paid nothing. I believe this is one of the biggest scams since Obamacare began.
S Brooks says
kent, did you pay your $500 “deductible” with Liberty before sending the bills? Just wondering. I am looking into it and find your comment interesting and I am wondering why they wouldn’t pay….
Laura says
I see this was posted in December…would love to have an update.
Joshua says
Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions…was arthritis in you before you started paying?
Donna says
So if you have any pre-existing conditions, LHS will not pay for your annual wellness visit???? Is that what you are saying Joshua??
Jeff says
Liberty Healthshare is the way insurance should be. People helping people. I signed up in December. You get ONE wellness visit a year. Flu shots covered. They want people to make an effort to stay healthy and avoid Doctors but in the event you do get ill, they pay all Medical bills up to $1 million per incident. I hope I never get ill but in the event I do I have coverage while not going broke paying the premiums (with high deductibles)!
My family Blue Cross coverage in Georgia went from $637/month to $1,800/month with $8,500 deducible. Seriously? With LHS I can go to ANY doctor or hospital. They pay claims in 30 days.
If you want to ask me a question, email me and leave your cell number. I will be glad to give you my thoughts. finex@quixnet.net
Donna says
Jeff, do you work for LHS? I’ve learned that many of the positive reviews online are coming from employees of the company. If so, please provide an honest disclosure of that fact.
If not, my question to you is, have you actually had medical expenses paid by LHS? How long did it take for them to pay them, if they did?
Meagan says
Hello Donna,
I am an actual member (not employee) of LHS as of November 2015. My experience has been that they initially denied to reimburse me for a routine preventative scan I had in January 2016 on the grounds of a “pre-existing condition”. It took at least 3 months of playing the go-between for my care provider and LHS. I had to get a letter from my provider attesting to the lack of pre-existing symptoms. Once this was submitted, it was another couple months of waiting for the bill to go through their whole system again. Then it said payment pending… but no payment arrived! Apparently there was yet another glitch– more emails between me and customer service. Finally, 8 whole months after the scan I received reimbursement in full. Did I mention this was my first bill? Now I am 7 months pregnant (fortunately that happened after we were already members), and although Liberty claims they will cover pregnancy, I remain skeptical. A couple fees have been applied to my AUA, but the major bill from my midwife, though already submitted over a month ago, has yet to show progress.
A couple things I learned: The first tier service reps need more training– do not trust their answers to your questions as they often change or are pretty vague depending on whom you talk to. Secondly, MAKE SURE you or your doctor are submitting ITEMIZED, CODED bills, and receipt of payment if you pay out of pocket. If Liberty doesn’t know you paid OOP, they might discount the bill, and only credit your AUA with that amount, rather than the amount you actually forked out. Hope that made sense.
Finally, it seems Liberty is doing what they promised, but seeing as how their membership quintupled over the last 12 months, they are struggling to keep up in more ways then one. Patience seems to be key.
Choncé says
Thanks for the tips Meagan! Sounds like I had a slightly similar experience when I had my first bill from a preventative screening. Lukcily, after I called them and disputed it, the took another look at it and the expense was shared among other members and I didn’t need to get my provider involved.
Josh Want says
Meagan, please keep us posted on your situation post-pregnancy! My wife and I are researching health sharing options and trying to have another baby. We were leaning towards LHS but have become wary based on recent accounts of bad service and poor “coverage”. The hospital bills for our last 2 babies were about $30k and we paid roughly $3k/ea out of pocket. Needless to say, we need to be certain about what those costs would look like with LHS or another similar network. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Ruth says
Can i still sign up and not pay penalty for 2016?
Choncé says
Hi Ruth, I’m not sure how the penalty works and don’t want to tell you the wrong thing. I would call Liberty asap though and ask.
Donna says
Ruth, I had not had health insurance for all but 2 months of 2015 because I could not justify the premiums & did not qualify for Obamacare subsidies. You can google the form to request a waiver of the penalty for not having insurance. I simply typed a letter explaining my income versus the premiums & deductible for minimum coverage. If the premiums are more than something like 8% of your income, they’ll give you a waiver & you don’t have to pay the penalty. However, I got the waiver even though my income is more than that by simply explaining my circumstances and requesting it.
I discovered LHS in early 2016 & decided to give it a try to avoid having to pay the penalty for this year because I didn’t think I’d be able to get another waiver & I really wanted to have health insurance coverage. After the first two months of getting the runaround about paying for my wellness visit & reading more thoroughly about this company (rated D+ by the BBB) I have cancelled my membership. They have refused to pay for my wellness visit & still have not processed my labwork associated with it from April.
I can understand why someone would take a chance on this company, I did. But if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I hate to see people pay every month for this “service” when they are going to be denied coverage when they really need it. Everyone has some kind of pre-existing condition and they will find that & use that to deny your claims.
Anyway, bottom line is you might not have to pay the Obamacare penalty. Try requesting the waiver & you might be very pleased to see that you will be granted approval. I was & I will be trying again for 2016:) Best wishes, Donna
Charlotte says
One big issue to consider is that they do not cover mental health. Not even in a crisis situation. Hopefully, you do not experience a traumatic event. Usually mental health and physical health are linked. Do Christians really place such a stigma against mental health? If so, they will be paying out far more for the physical problems that accompany a traumatic incident, rather than paying for the mental health issues that are of lower cost and have a positive impact on physical health.
Judy Barr Dodds says
Hi, Wesley..
I would just like to correct you on one point re: mental health. Most
‘illnesses’ are chemically related, meaning that one’s chemical make up is to blame for their ________ (fill in the blank). Most, lifelong depression, anxiety, OCD, BPD, etc, are a result of our God given chemistries, and not from a causal effect of our actions. Look it up.
I know, and maybe this si what you’re speaking of, that much of mental health revolves around situational events in life like divorce and job loss, stuff like that, but those on long-term maintanence medications are adjusting chemical imbalances that NEED the correction. No amount of talk, self-talk or supportive friends and family will change that.
Greg says
I’ve been researching LHS for a couple of months now and I’m reasonably confident in my decision to sign up.
However, I am still unclear as to the deductible. Is the monthly payments part of the deductible or is it above and beyond the monthly payment?
I’ll probably figure it out soon enough when I get signed up but thought I’d ask since I won’t be able to get signed up for a few days.
Choncé says
Hi Greg! Your monthly membership payments do not go toward your annual unshared amount (deductible). When you have medical expenses that you’ve paid, you must submit them to Liberty so it can go toward your annual unshared amount. Regular annual check-ups are covered by Liberty though so you won’t have to pay for those out of pocket even if you haven’t reached your AUA yet.
Brooke Plotnick says
Maybe I missed it in this thread, but will this cover the Obamacare mandate?
Donna says
Check their Better Business Bureau rating – it’s a D+!
My own personal experience is they did not pay my very first claim for an annual wellness visit & the bloodwork ordered for it even though their literature states that they pay 100% for this without having to meet your annual deductible. They jacked me around for two months telling me they hadn’t received my claims because they have no way of “notating items received thru the US mail” even though I mailed them to the address they provided in my “welcome packet”. Then I emailed the claims & they couldn’t give me any status updates because they don’t have information available until the claim is completed processing which they tell you takes 30-45 days. In the meantime, they were able to get my initial signup fee of $135, plus 3 monthly payments of $279 each. I’m disputing their charges thru my credit card company and filing a complaint with the BBB and the Attorney Generals office. If necessary I will try to get a class action lawsuit going against them.
Choncé says
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with LHS. That sucks! 🙁 They actually aren’t even accredited with the BBB and I’m not sure why that is or how they could receive a rating. However, I can only respond with my personal experience and I’ll say that from my experience with LHS, they are super slow. I guess it takes a long time for them to process stuff and negotiate charges but sometimes they have come through for me even though it was super late. A few months ago I received a medical bill that I suppose Liberty didn’t cover. I was pretty bummed but tried not to stress and just set up a monthly payment plan of $50 per month. At the end of April this year and about 2-3 months after I started a payment plan, Liberty sent me a check to pay for the balance in full and that’s what it did to eliminate the debt and reimburse myself for the payments I had made already. I don’t know the specifics of your situation along with the time frame that you’ve been frustrated but my advice would be to be patient and try to work with Liberty because you never know if they might come through for you. Keep all your receipts and track anything you mail to them so you can comfirm it’s been received. Good luck!
Diann Wilcox says
Donna that is too bad about Liberty not covering your wellness visit. I have had two wellness visits covered. My doctor took a urine specimen but no bloodwork. I’m wondering though what I have learned about a 100% covered visit . If you have the doctor check any other ailments or discuss health problems or have bloodwork the doctor probably won’t consider it a wellness visit. Having bloodwork done is not always considered a part of a wellness visit. You need to go back to your doctor and find out how your wellness visit was coded. You will have to talk to the billing department as well. Any blood tests I have are repriced and go towards the unshared amount (deductible). If your doctor didn’t separate that out or coded it wrong it would appear as a regular visit. I have been with Liberty Healthshare since January 2015. I do have to agree that it usually takes several months for them to process a claim and sometimes the bill has to be submitted several times but so far it has gone well.
James says
I think the trick with using Liberty Healthshare is do not tell providers that it is not insurance. Give them the card, it looks like any other health insurance card, and the billing is done through health insurance biller codes on the card. If a provider is going to do an expensive procedure, they always call the number on the card first, to make sure that the patient is still current with their insurance.
Joe Sherman says
Any more updates to this thread in summer 2016?
Our new company (new corporate owners) just killed off our good health insurance plan for the family-killing high deductible Cigna joke with an ineffective HSA to make it sound better. AWFUL coverage, it is already putting several employees in huge debt for simple things like a short ER visit, or a broken arm — let alone not paying for maintenance medications that were always covered, at least partially, by other insurers. Now, EVERYTHING is out of pocket up to $4000 and then Cigna pays 80% IF they accept the claim. Cigna is rated at one star for rejecting 65% of claims by default simply to stall the process. What has happened to our country and the value placed on family?? Would love to take this money we give Cigna every month for NOTHING and make it work for We The People. SHAME.
Only the wealthy executives making big bucks are not adversely affected by the $4000 deductibles (assuming they don’t have a better plan in their contract in the first place). Disgusting the way this is burdening loyal employee families and enhancing corporate shareholders profits on the backs of the people who actually make or break the companies. SHAME CORPORATE AMERICA.
Marco says
How about SHAME ON DEMOCRATS, SHAME ON OBAMA. You (and I) wouldn’t be in this mess if we didn’t have Obamacare. How can you even write that many words without putting blame where it belongs. Our healthcare system needed some improvement, but it was FAR better than what we got with Obamacare. And, yes, what you are experiencing with your employer health insurance IS because of Obamacare, whether you believe it or not. Obamacare needs to die. If you agree and vote for a Democrat at any level, you are part of the problem.
Joe Sherman says
Whoa- slow down, brother. You’re preaching to the choir, here. I am a conservative right-of-center husband, father and voter. I couldn’t agree more and still shudder at the visual memory of Nancy Pelosi’s idiotic exclamation, “We have to pass it to see what’s in it!” What an inane statement from a presumed intelligent leader. Liberalism is a cancer to our freedom and society. Look what’s happening to the stability of the American family: financially, culturally and spiritually. SHAME CORPORATE AMERICA.
But, this blog is more about solutions to the insurance burden on families and individuals, not political perspectives. I’m hoping this platform of “self insured Christians” is a positive and successful option for all of us to pursue. Am I too naive in my hopes?
Terri D says
Hi Joe ~ I’m with you and Marco both! I am a small business owner, insuring 20 individuals on a group plan. Pre obamacare * yes, the lowercase is deliberate >:/ * we had 100% participation. As premiums skyrocketed, we could only cover employees, not families. Now, what we cover is just not enough – everyone is dropping; they cannot afford the additional $300 to $500 PER INDIVIDUAL for their families! As a result everything suffers- groceries, car payments, rent, etc. All those expenditures, which should be going back into the community and stimulating economic growth, are compromised. I have strived to do the right thing by being that employer who offers careers rather than jobs. Being faced with dropping our company sponsored insurance benefit is devastating. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?
I am concerned about the negative backlash on capitalism. Small businesses are the economic backbone of this country. Practically all (if not all) transactions involving money equate to capitalism. I have something you want- I’ll sell it to you, and vice versa. Capitalism – plain and simple. This is the foundation of our economy. Yes, there is corporate greed and dishonesty – it is everywhere. That is why we have the SEC for Wall Street and GAAP guidelines for CPAs. As long as crooks (need I say – politicians…) find new ways to thieve, the reactionary red tape will continue to grow in response. Sadly, we cannot legislate decency and goodness – it either is or is not a factor in one’s self. Regardless, the reality is when we -small businesses-cannot employ or have to cut back because of these unsustainable mandates, EVERYONE suffers.
That being said, I have spent the past week reading and re-reading everything I can on HDHP’s with their corresponding HSA’s, and I still cannot find a palatable plan. Through a newsletter I learned about Liberty, and have spent the better part of today researching it. I think I’m going for it. I’ll be the crash test dummy first, and I’ll encourage those who dropped our company plan to consider this option. I mean really – $449 for a family with a $1500 ‘deductible’? Those are numbers I can feel good about – I can even get back to the days of providing a plan for my staff. Remember, you can still keep the coverage you have. Some may feel a little more secure with a traditional HDHP / HSA as a safety umbrella.
A question comes to mind: with LHS being a faith based, non- profit, I noticed that the language used in the documentation is very careful. Since the money is used to care for fellow believers, can the monthly share amounts be considered donations or tithes??? Enquiring minds want to know 😉
Rebecca says
Interesting thought on donation or tithe! But does it have to be registered in a different way? My husband lost his job recently and since we are in our 60’s and not yet eligible for Medicare I have been checking into Liberty because a decent policy in California would cost us $1448 per month with a $7000. deductible. Who can afford that. That’s almost $25,000 before you see a dime. I am going to give Liberty a try, even if I have to pay some out of pocket it can’t be as bad ad $25,000.
Judy Barr Dodds says
Hi and Thank YOU for posting this. I was in a position recently that I had to investigate other options than the insurance offered by my husbands employer. Our insurance, for four the three of us besides my husband (his is covered by employer) cost us over $1000/mo = $12,000/yr. And this was just for catastrophic coverage. It was presented as insurance, but it didn’t cover anything at all until we paid $2500 out of pocket – and then at only 70% until we hit $15,000 out of pocket max. And, get this THAT IS ONLY ONE PERSON. If we were in a catastrophic accident (the whole family) it would have been max $22.500, or $42,000 max if we happened to be on vacation and out of network. Yes, that is why i investigated it.
I was, an am very nervous, but I’ve made the jump and am awaiting confirmation. This will in the end save us at least half – HALF!! Thank you for your honest reporting.
mark parmelee says
Thank you Chonce for this helpful review. I also have alot of debt and the policy through my job is just too expensive for me. This sounds like it could help me free up some income.
Cynthia says
The paperwork to join says payment for any claim isn’t guaranteed. This would be scary if there is a hospital stay involved.
Bill says
Hey Chonce,
Thanks for the info on Liberty. I found your review on Google while looking into medical share. I have been working in a factory for the last 16 years mainly to get access to health insurance. I quit last month and now my wife and I are now both self-employed.
Healthcare.gov wants $1250/mo. with a $7500 deductible for us and 1 dependent. So much for the Affordable Care Act. lol. It was important to me that the Liberty plan exempts me from the IRS requirements with form 8965 exemption D.
I love the idea of sharing health costs with others who practice a Christian lifestyle. It has always annoyed me that my insurance dollars went to subsidize others with self-inflicted health issues.
Anyway I got the million dollar family plan from Liberty yesterday for $450/mo. with $500 deductible. I couldn’t find where to list your name as a referral. Sorry:(
Sandy says
Greetings Choncé! FYI your “captcha” robot thingy is not working on your contact/email page. Or maybe it’s my browser. 🙂 Tried to send this:
Enjoyed your article on Liberty Health Share. Are you still feeling positive about the company and it’s coverage? Has it been a pain to get reimbursed ever (how is the paperwork, dealing with cust. service)?
Wondering if you know anything about “pre-existing conditions” – I have a thyroid disorder that need meds and labwork 3-4x/year, but that’s about it.
Also wondering if you did research on other Health Sharing Ministries out there – Altrua is the other one I am looking at.
Many thanks for your time! 🙂