Liberty HealthShare is a nonprofit healthcare sharing ministry, formally organized as the Gospel Light Mennonite Church Medical Aid Plan, that lets members voluntarily share each other’s eligible medical expenses instead of buying a health insurance policy. Five families tied to a Mennonite congregation started the ministry in Virginia in 1995. Liberty HealthShare is not an insurance company, and it does not guarantee that any member’s medical bill will be paid.
How the Sharing Process Works
Liberty HealthShare structures membership around five steps:
- Contribute a voluntary monthly share amount.
- Visit any provider or facility of your choosing.
- Present your Liberty HealthShare member ID card at the appointment.
- The provider sends the bill to Liberty HealthShare electronically so it can be reviewed for eligibility.
- Liberty HealthShare facilitates sharing by sending a payment to the provider from other members’ contributions.
Before that last step, bills are repriced to a fair and reasonable rate — a step Liberty HealthShare says can lower what a member ultimately owes.
Annual Unshared Amount vs. Deductible
An insurance deductible is the amount a policyholder pays before an insurer starts covering claims. Liberty HealthShare uses a different mechanism: the Annual Unshared Amount, or AUA, is the portion of an eligible medical need a member is responsible for before sharing may begin. What happens after the AUA is met depends on the program.
| Program | Member Co-Share After AUA | Members Can Share |
| Liberty Essential | 20% | 80% |
| Liberty Connect | 10% | 90% |
| Liberty Unite | 0% | 100% |
Take a $2,000 MRI after the AUA is met. On Liberty Essential, the member has a C0-Share of $400. On Liberty Unite, nothing.
How Healthsharing Differs from Insurance
Chief Executive Officer Dorsey Morrow has described the difference between the two models directly. Of insurance, he said: “You’ve got to deal with providers, you’ve got to deal with third-party administrators, just so many people with their fingers in the pie and everybody is trying to make a profit.”
“Our focus is on the member; what can we do to help you and what are you going through? Let’s talk about it and let’s see what the options are.” (Dorsey Morrow, chief executive officer, Liberty HealthShare)
Is Healthsharing Legally Recognized?
The Affordable Care Act created a specific exemption from its individual mandate requirements for members of qualifying healthcare sharing ministries, and Gospel Light/Liberty HealthShare received federal recognition as an eligible ministry in 2014. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has certified 107 health care sharing ministries as meeting that federal definition. As of January 2026, 647,767 Americans belonged to a ministry that is a member of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, which reported $1.15 billion in medical expenses shared industry-wide in 2025.
Liberty HealthShare is also a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit rather than a for-profit insurer, which subjects its finances to IRS reporting requirements and public disclosure. That status is part of what separates a healthcare sharing ministry from an unregulated informal arrangement: Liberty HealthShare still must file audited financials, disclose its board and leadership, and operate within the federal definition that qualifies its members for the ACA exemption.
Who Joins a Healthsharing Ministry
Liberty HealthShare organizes its six programs around different life stages and budgets rather than offering one sharing program for every member. Liberty Freedom and Liberty Rise are designed for members 35 and younger or in college. Liberty Essential, Liberty Connect, and Liberty Unite serve singles, couples, and families, with the Co-Share percentage differences shown above. Liberty Assist serves members 65 and older who already have Medicare Parts A and B. Two add-on programs, Liberty Dental and Liberty Vision, are available only to existing members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Liberty HealthShare insurance?
No. Liberty HealthShare is a healthcare sharing ministry, not an insurance company, and its programs carry no legal guarantee that a bill will be paid.
How much does membership cost?
Suggested monthly share amounts start at $89 for members 35 and younger under the Liberty Freedom program, with six total programs priced for different ages, family sizes, and Co-Share percentages.
Can members use any doctor?
Yes. Members can visit any provider or facility, though choosing one in the PHCS network lowers the odds of a balance bill for charges above what Liberty HealthShare considers fair and reasonable.
Liberty HealthShare’s model trades an insurer’s contractual guarantee for a lower, member-set monthly cost and a voluntary sharing community — a tradeoff that suits some households and not others.