Healthsharing
What is Liberty HealthShare?
We are not insurance. Liberty HealthShare is a community of people, with like-minded values, helping each other in a time of need. We offer our members freedom from insurance and give our members the power to share in one another’s healthcare costs.
What makes Liberty HealthShare different?
We are health-conscious individuals and families who choose to steward our health and share in one another’s medical needs and expenses. Our caring community serves one another in prayer, encouragement and financial support.
What can I expect from Liberty HealthShare?
Liberty HealthShare members can expect to be a part of a caring, powerful Christian community that works together to make healthcare affordable for all.
How do I become a member?
Becoming a member is simple. If you’ve decided that healthsharing is right for you, choose a program to fit your needs. Fill out an application and our enrollment team will walk you through the rest of the membership process.
When does sharing begin?
Sharing begins after two full months of membership.
Connect
When I join, am I obligated for a period of time or can I drop out at any time?
You can cancel at any time. If you want to cancel, you should send written notice of your cancellation, including the reason for cancellation, by the 25th day of the month, prior to the month in which your sharing contributions will end. If membership cancellation occurs 30 days after your Enrollment Date, the membership enrollment dues will not be refunded.
What guarantees do I have that my money will be used as it should?
Accountability and financial integrity are vital concepts at Liberty HealthShare. All that we do at Liberty HealthShare is done in a spirit of public trust.
Your trust is valuable to us and there are numerous ways in which we hold ourselves accountable to our members.
- Liberty HealthShare facilitates sharing between members. Members commit to sending shares each month and receiving shares for eligible medical expenses.
- We verify that sharing members send their Monthly Share Amounts.
- Sharing dollars are subject to oversight, accountability and accounting controls through Liberty HealthShare to make certain shares are used only to pay only eligible medical expenses.
- Fees received for administration undergo strict scrutiny and annual audit.
- Money designated by members for cost-sharing is never owned or invested by Liberty HealthShare.
- The Board of Directors is the final decision-making authority.
Is there a health screening required for membership approval?
The Liberty HealthShare community agrees to be wise stewards of our health and all decisions for membership approval are made in consultation with each prospective member.
- Applicants complete a medical questionnaire for our nurses to review.
- If a condition is accepted as pre-existing, that member will be accepted with that limitation (see question about Pre-Existing Conditions).
Do I have a deductible or co-pay?
Liberty HealthShare does not have deductibles or co-pays since we are a medical cost sharing ministry. Rather than deductibles, we have an Annual Unshared Amount (AUA).
Your AUA is the amount of medical costs that you are responsible for before sharing can take place and other members can share into your medical expenses. Your AUA responsibility varies depending on the program and family size of your membership.
Can I participate in Liberty HealthShare and also have health insurance?
Of course. In fact, many participants have health insurance through work or another source. They participate with us for the sheer excitement of helping others. They never expect to submit bills. And in those cases where money is still owed after insurance makes its payments, Liberty HealthShare members will share the balance of eligible expenses.
How do I know my medical history is safe?
We take great effort to protect your medical records and personal information. Your information is only shared with people who are specifically designated to work with you and your healthsharing account. They only have access to the specific information they need. All Liberty HealthShare employees have received HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) training and we require that any vendors who might need to review your information certify that their employees have completed HIPAA training as well.
Give
How much do I pay each month even though I don’t have any medical expenses myself?
Each month we ask you to send a Monthly Share Amount to your ShareBox which will be shared with another member who has medical bills regardless of whether you have medical expenses. Giving regularly each month is how you remain eligible to have your bills shared into by other active members. That amount varies depending on your program choices, and whether you are a single, couple or family. See the current Monthly Share Amount under the 'Sharing Programs' tab.
What if I’m unable to make the monthly contribution, or I’m late?
Members are asked to send in their Monthly Share Amount by the 1st day of each month.
If your Monthly Share Amount is not received by the due date, the Sharing Membership becomes inactive. This means any medical expenses that incur during this time will not be eligible for sharing.
If your Sharing Membership is inactive for less than 60 days, you can reactivate it by sending in your share for each month your membership was inactive. Members who are more than 60 days past due will need to re-apply for membership as a new member.
What is a ShareBox?
ShareBox is a Liberty HealthShare member’s most important membership tool. It is where they actively manage their healthsharing program. It includes a member’s online account that lets them share contributions with other members as well as see how other members have shared with them to pay medical expenses. Members can submit a medical expense, view the status of that expense, view their sharing history, receive important notifications and find information about Liberty HealthShare. Through its PrayerBox feature, members have the opportunity to send other members a message of encouragement or prayer.
Receive
What about Pre-existing conditions?
A pre-existing condition is any condition at the time of enrollment that has evidenced symptoms, or received treatment or medication in the past 36 months. We share in pre-existing conditions according to the following schedule:
- First year: pre-existing condition is not eligible for sharing
- Second and Third year: pre-existing is eligible for sharing up to $50,000 combined both years
- Fourth year and following years of continuous membership:the condition is no longer considered pre-existing
What do I say to my doctor or at the hospital when I need medical care?
As a Liberty HealthShare member, you have a few options. You can choose to show your provider your Liberty HealthShare membership card and ask them to send your bills to us. As a self-pay patient, you should ask your provider for a self-pay discount. You may also make payment arrangements with your provider as you wait for sharing to begin on your eligible medical expenses.
In all cases, ask for an itemized bill that includes procedure (CPT) and diagnostic codes and make sure to send in all receipts of any payments you have made to your provider.
How does my doctor or hospital get paid?
Your doctor or hospital receives payment through our powerful, sharing community. Sharing is facilitated through Liberty HealthShare and takes place through a secure online site, the Liberty HealthShare “ShareBox.”
Each month Liberty HealthShare transfers your Monthly Share Amount to another member's ShareBox.
Once an expense is submitted to us, it is then reviewed and processed through a step-by-step process. If an expense meets all eligibility requirements, our sharing community shares into your medical expense and you or your provider will receive a check. For each eligible expense, members will receive an Explanation of Sharing (EOS) in their ShareBox. Providers will receive an EOS via mail.
What if I have medical bills that are not eligible and I don’t agree with the decision?
- STEP ONE: Make a call. Most disputes can be resolved with a simple phone call. We will work with you to find a resolution to your issue.
- STEP TWO: Follow the "DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND APPEAL" process outlined in the Guidelines (see VI. A-D.)
- STEP THREE: Regardless of who wins or loses, remember who and what we are. Liberty HealthShare is a voluntary association of like-minded people who come together to assist each other by sharing medical expenses.
What are the minimum and maximum amounts of medical bills I can submit to be shared?
Once you’ve met your Annual Unshared Amount (AUA) the following are the minimum and maximum sharing amounts.
- Liberty Uniteshares up to $1,000,000 per incident of fair and reasonable eligible medical expenses.
- Liberty Connectshares up to $1,000,000 per incident of fair and reasonable eligible medical expenses. Members pay a 15% co-share.
- Liberty Essentialshares up to $600,000 per incident of fair and reasonable eligible medical expenses.Members pay a 25% co-share.
- Liberty Freedom shares up to $300,000 (per incident or per membership year, whichever occurs first) of fair & reasonable medical expenses. Different limits apply for ancillary therapies and cancer care.
- Liberty Rise shares up to $50,000 per year for limited services.
Will my bills be paid?
The voluntary contributions of our members are gifts, and members are always liable for any medical bills they incur. While our healthsharing program does not guarantee or promise that medical bills will be paid, our members actively share millions of dollars of eligible medical expenses each month.
How do I submit medical expenses from my ShareBox?
From within ShareBox, click on the Medical tab, then click Medical Expense Submissions. A new medical expense can be submitted or information can be added to a previously submitted expense. It is important that members confirm that healthcare providers are not submitting an expense before they do it themselves. Eligible expenses must be submitted within 180 days of service date and include appropriate CPT and Diagnosis Codes.
