Health insurance premium increases have made coverage unaffordable for many Colorado residents.
The Affordable Care Act was supposed to reduce health insurance premiums —but it didn’t.
Remember? “Bend the cost curve,” they said.
“If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor,” they said. “If you like your plan you can keep your plan,” they said.
And who can forget this whopper: “None of your premiums are going to go up!”
Well, we all know how that worked out. And Colorado residents have been taking it on the chin ever since.
In fact, 2025 saw the highest premiums ever for residents of the Rocky Mountain State.
It’s one thing if your employer pays most of your premiums, or if you get a big subsidy under the Affordable Care Act. But for millions of Coloradans who are left out of the Obamacare subsidy scheme, health insurance is becoming increasingly overpriced and unaffordable.
And none of the Obamacare options on the Connect For Health Colorado health insurance exchange let you choose your own doctor. They’re all HMOs, with limited networks of authorized care providers.
The Problem With Narrow Networks
These narrow networks aren’t a problem for healthy people who don’t actually need care, of course.
But the millions of people in these plans who do need care are stuck with fewer choices. They often have entire hospitals practically closed off to them because their network contracted with the cheaper provider.
Most people want freedom of choice. In particular, they want the freedom to see the doctor of their choice, and use the best hospitals and clinics in their communities. Not just the low-bidder providers.
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Introducing the Health Sharing Alternative
Fortunately, there’s a better way: Health sharing.
Health sharing plans are a more affordable non-insurance alternative to Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act. They generally let you choose your own doctors and hospitals. They protect you against even catastrophic health care costs from serious illnesses and injuries. And they are thousands of dollars cheaper every year.
Here’s what you need to know about these money-saving alternatives to overpriced traditional insurance products.
How Health Sharing Works
Health sharing plans are increasingly popular and affordable alternatives to conventional insurance products.
These plans are voluntary not-for-profit associations of like-minded, health-conscious people who pool their funds to cover medical expenses of fellow members.
Unlike traditional health insurance companies, who must take all comers during open enrollment, regardless of their health, health sharing organizations can be choosy. For example, they screen out people who abuse drugs and alcohol. Many screen out smokers. And they impose waiting periods before they will share costs for pre-existing conditions.
As a result, health share plans have much healthier risk pools compared to ACA-qualified traditional health plans. This translates to much lower costs for all members.
Health Sharing’s Growing Popularity
Health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) have experienced significant growth in the United States over the past decade.
In 2010, approximately 100,000 individuals participated in these programs. By 2018, that number had risen to about 1 million. A 2021 report from the Colorado Division of Insurance estimated that at least 1.7 million Americans were members of health care sharing plans, rather than traditional insurance plans.
As insurance premiums continue to rise out of control, more and more families are flocking to health share plans as a more affordable alternative.
How Much Can You Save With Health Sharing?
Switching from an unsubsidized traditional health insurance plan to health sharing nearly always saves money.
However, savings vary by plan and income.
But for individuals and families left out of the Affordable Care Act subsidy scheme, health sharing plans are typically 40 to 50 percent less than the cost of a Marketplace health insurance plan.
That’s enough to save a family of four more than $1,000 per month, or $12,000 per year.
Types of Health Sharing Plans
Health sharing organizations vary in structure:
- Religious-based: Faith-based groups like Medi-Share and netWell
- Non-denominational: Programs like Universal Health Share
- Secular options: Plans like HSA Secure and Care+ Plan
Unlike traditional insurance, health sharing avoids Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations.
This flexibility allows them to design benefits and control costs more efficiently. For example, they don’t need to cover gender reassignment surgeries or pay for costly inpatient drug rehab programs.
Managing Out-Of-Pocket Costs
With health sharing plans, members pay a certain amount out of pocket each year before their expenses become eligible for sharing.
This amount is called the member responsibility amount (MRA) or initial unshareable amount (IUA). It functions similarly to a health insurance deductible.
After you have paid your MRA for the year, your health sharing plan will begin to share qualified medical expenses. Most plans will share 100% of eligible medical costs after you meet your MRA. Some plans may have you pay a small per-visit fee or an additional fee of a few hundred dollars for an ER visit.
Most health share plans also share costs for maternity and childbirth, up to certain limits. However, some of the cheaper lower-tier plans exclude maternity benefits. Other plans normally require that the member be married to another member before they will share maternity and childbirth costs.
Health Sharing and Cash Discounts
With health sharing, you can still save money on medical services, even if you don’t spend enough to meet your MRA for the year.
This is because health sharing members typically qualify as cash payers. Many doctors, clinics, and hospitals provide steep discounts for patients who pay in cash, rather than go through a health insurance company.
If you have health insurance rather than health sharing, and you don’t spend enough to meet your deductible, you would likely have to spend much more out-of-pocket compared to the cash price.
For hospitals, you can check their website for transparent pricing data. All hospitals are now required to disclose pricing for all common services they provide under federal price transparency laws.
To take advantage of the savings opportunity, simply ask your provider up front for the cash price.
Learn More: Colorado Health Share Plans and Maternity Benefits
Who Should Consider Health Sharing?
If you don’t get a large Obamacare subsidy, the potential savings from switching to health sharing are substantial.
It’s a great way to opt out of the ridiculous escalating prices of traditional Connect for Health Colorado Marketplace insurance plans.
It’s not unusual for a family of four to go from paying more than $2,000 per month to less than $800, simply by switching to health sharing.
Switching to health sharing may be a good match if you meet these criteria:
- You don’t have any significant pre-existing conditions that would trigger a waiting period.
- You don’t qualify for a significant subsidy under the Affordable Care Act. If this is the case with you, a health share plan could save you up to 50% compared to your current Marketplace health insurance premiums.
- You want to be able to choose your own doctor or hospital, and not be constrained by narrow HMO care networks.
- You are outside the open enrollment period and need to get some protection in place. Health share plans allow you to enroll any time year-round.
- You want to be part of a health sharing community of like-minded, health-conscious people.
Who Should Stick With Traditional Health Insurance?
Health sharing isn’t a great match for everyone. That’s why ColoHealth continues to represent all health insurance carriers operating in Colorado. So all our clients have a choice.
You may be better off with a traditional Obamacare-style health insurance plan if you meet one or more of these criteria.
- You have pre-existing conditions
- You get a large subsidy under the Affordable Care Act
- You rely on an expensive drug that’s not included in a health sharing plan
If this describes you, you should consider sticking with a traditional health insurance plan, rather than a health sharing plan. But you should still shop around, to ensure you’re in the best plan available that suits your needs and budget.
To find the best plans, don’t go it alone: Make an appointment for a free consultation with an expert ColoHealth Personal Benefits Manager.
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How To Opt Out of Crazy High Health Insurance Premiums
Unlike health insurance, health sharing plans don’t have limited open enrollments.
You can enroll in a health share plan at any time, all year round. So by switching to health sharing, you can start saving hundreds of dollars per month as soon as next month.
For a free consultation and quote, make an appointment with a Personal Benefits Manager today.
For Further Reading:
Christine Corsini is a health insurance and medical cost sharing expert, and a Personal Benefits Manager at ColoHealth. Her goal is to help people embrace life’s amazing possibilities by staying healthy, saving money, and making the best decisions when it comes to healthcare.
