Health care sharing ministries are not traditional insurance; instead, they provide people who follow a common set of religious beliefs with financial assistance for medical expenses. A Commonwealth Fund report by researchers with the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute examines state laws governing health care sharing ministries and reviews five ministries’ membership requirements and benefits. Its findings reveal potential risks: the exclusion of coverage for preexisting conditions, higher rates based on health status, and uncapped out-of-pocket expenses. And by drawing healthier individuals out of the marketplaces, ministries may create smaller and sicker risk pools there.
