Medical crises often present dual challenges: fighting for health while navigating daunting financial terrain. Liberty HealthShare’s members have discovered community-based healthcare financing that emphasizes personal connection during difficult times, creating support networks that extend beyond financial assistance.
“Liberty HealthShare is the conduit, but it was my fellow members who shared my eligible medical expenses,” said member Don Winslett, whose $58,000 in prostate cancer treatment costs were shared by fellow members. “For them I’m very thankful.”
From Devastating Accident to Artistic Revival
Shortly after joining Liberty HealthShare in 2017, Shawn Carroll experienced a life-altering event while traveling with her family after her son’s Navy boot camp graduation. A serious car accident left Carroll severely injured and airlifted to a Tennessee hospital, testing her new membership immediately.
“I was in a serious car accident in 2017 which caused my medical bills to exceed my auto insurance limits. Liberty HealthShare picked things right up after that and surpassed my expectations,” Carroll recalled.
Carroll’s injuries initially threatened her ability to work as a professional artist with her own business. However, through therapy and support from both her family and Liberty HealthShare community, she discovered her artistic talents remained intact. When therapists placed art supplies before her, “my love for it came back immediately,” Carroll explained.
Recovery brought new creative expression. “Liberty HealthShare has certainly been another miracle in my life,” she said.
Community Support Through Cancer Treatment
A diagnosis of prostate cancer brought Winslett both health concerns and financial worries. But his experience demonstrated how community-based healthcare sharing can differ from other healthcare financing during serious illness.
“It’s still hard for me to believe how powerful the Liberty HealthShare community was. It really worked out well for me,” Winslett explained. He said that personal connection distinguished his Liberty HealthShare experience from previous encounters with paying for healthcare. “It was always a little difficult for me dealing with the insurance companies because to them you truly are just a number,” he reflected.
Healthcare Solutions for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs starting a small business in Arizona, Mark Matthias and Gina Lombardi encountered healthcare obstacles familiar to many self-employed Americans. Small business health insurance remained unavailable to them, while Affordable Care Act marketplace options proved prohibitively expensive at $3,400 monthly with a $6,000 deductible.
Discovering Liberty HealthShare in 2017 seemed “almost too good to be true,” according to Mark.
Significant health challenges tested their membership. Mark received chemotherapy for bladder cancer while Gina suffered a broken leg requiring physical therapy. Through these difficulties, Liberty HealthShare members shared in what Mark described as “pretty much everything.”
Multiple aspects of Liberty HealthShare’s approach appealed to the couple, including its accountability model. “Instituting the $200 initial unshared amount was genius. It makes people think before running to the doctor for every little thing,” Mark noted.
As seasonal residents splitting time between Arizona and Minnesota, they value freedom to choose healthcare providers without network restrictions. “We tell people about it all the time,” Mark said. “I always tell them about Liberty HealthShare. It’s very reasonably priced.”
Supporting a Spouse Through Cancer
Cancer diagnosis in 2019 brought Terri Holman and her husband face-to-face with the sort of life-changing medical expenses that can accompany major health challenges in the U.S.
“Hubby was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and Liberty HealthShare helped us with payment and negotiations with the hospital to pay the astronomical expenses that come with a major health diagnosis,” Holman explained. “They have always helped us and have been very pleasant to work with.”
Although transitioning to Medicare eventually, Holman remained a vocal advocate for Liberty HealthShare based on her experience during critical health challenges.
Faith, Prayer, and Spiritual Support
Among Liberty HealthShare’s approximately 165 dedicated team members are medical professionals who understand healthcare complexities and guide members through treatment decisions. The ministry’s faith-based approach incorporates spiritual support alongside financial assistance.
“We have a list that is distributed internally every Friday of prayer requests from our members,” explains Chief Executive Officer Dorsey Morrow. “Whether it’s with the member or for the member, we are about prayer. We strongly believe in that here.”
Members submit prayer requests through ShareBox, Liberty HealthShare’s secure online portal where they can also track how their monthly contributions help others in the community. Prayer support distinguishes Liberty HealthShare from secular healthcare financing models.
Proactive Cost Management and a Community Approach to Healthcare Expenses
Liberty HealthShare works proactively to manage costs through multiple specialized vendors who negotiate with medical providers. Community-focused expense management helps control costs while maintaining member choice in healthcare providers.
“We don’t use just one or two vendors to help us negotiate with medical providers on behalf of our members,” Morrow explains. “We’ve got three or four various vendors, and each of them have a very specific task and help us identify problem areas.”
Monthly analysis of current and historical sharing patterns helps forecast trends and maintain stable contribution amounts for members. Member Jen Lamb appreciates this approach: “They also do the work of trying to lower the cost of medical bills instead of making me do it.”
Program Flexibility
Liberty HealthShare offers six different medical cost-sharing programs tailored to various needs and budgets. Suggested monthly share amounts for individuals range from $89 to $369, with family options starting at $319. A supplemental dental sharing program begins at $35 monthly.
“We’ve got a number of programs so that somebody can select whatever works best for their family,” Morrow notes. “With the healthcare sharing ministry and Liberty HealthShare in particular, you can join our membership, and if you determine it doesn’t work for you, you’re not locked into it.”
Year-round enrollment is one feature that distinguishes Liberty HealthShare from insurance models with limited enrollment periods, providing flexibility that members facing changing circumstances appreciate.
Transparency and Accountability Build Trust
Liberty HealthShare’s commitment to transparency earned recognition from Charity Navigator with a four-star rating and maintains an 88% rating. Open-book operations include publicly available guidelines, financial reports, and board information.
“Anything and everything you want to know about Liberty HealthShare, you can go to our website,” Morrow states. “You’ll see we are an open book. You can find our 990. You can find our guidelines. You can find our audit report.”
For members facing health crises, Liberty HealthShare’s approach can create genuine community connection during difficult times. Personal relationships with call center staff, prayer support, and fellow member sharing combine practical assistance with spiritual encouragement.
“Our focus at Liberty HealthShare is on our members,” Morrow concludes. “We are here to help facilitate sharing between our members. We are not driven by profit. It’s frankly our goal to go broke each month. The contributions coming in should be the contributions that go out.”
