After more than eight years with Christian Healthcare Ministries, here’s what our family has learned about healthcare costs, pediatric appointments, pregnancy, medical bills, and whether a healthcare sharing ministry is really worth it.
If you’ve ever opened a medical bill and wondered what exactly you’re paying thousands of dollars in health insurance premiums for, I can relate.
Before switching to a healthcare sharing ministry, our family was spending a significant amount of money on traditional health insurance. And while I certainly appreciated having that coverage, it was frustrating to pay so much every month only to turn around and pay deductibles, copays, and other out-of-pocket expenses whenever someone actually needed medical care.
As our family grew, I started wondering whether there was another option. Not necessarily something that would eliminate our healthcare expenses, because that’s certainly not realistic, but something that might allow us to spend our money a little differently.
That’s how we ended up joining Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM), a faith-based healthcare sharing ministry.
We’ve now been members for more than eight years, and during that time we’ve navigated everything from routine childhood illnesses to pregnancies and larger medical expenses. And while I certainly have a few frustrations, I can confidently say it’s been a positive experience for our family.
Our monthly contributions have increased over the years, which isn’t exactly surprising considering the rising cost of healthcare. And there have definitely been times when I’ve wished the process of sharing medical bills moved a little faster. But beyond those occasional delays, we’ve had no major hiccups.
That doesn’t mean I think everyone should immediately cancel their health insurance and join a healthcare sharing ministry. There are some important differences, and what works for our family might not make sense for yours.
But if you’ve been wondering whether there are alternatives to traditional health insurance, I wanted to share what we’ve learned after eight years of actually using one.
First, What Exactly Is a Healthcare Sharing Ministry?
The easiest way I can explain a healthcare sharing ministry is that members contribute money each month to help pay one another’s eligible medical expenses.
Instead of paying a premium to an insurance company, you’re contributing to a membership-based organization that facilitates the sharing of medical bills among its members.
There are several healthcare sharing organizations, but we chose Christian Healthcare Ministries, which is faith-based and has specific membership requirements.
One important thing to understand is that a healthcare sharing ministry is not health insurance. It doesn’t operate under the same rules as traditional insurance, and payment of medical expenses is not guaranteed. There are also guidelines about which medical expenses qualify for sharing, including limitations involving certain pre-existing conditions, treatments, and activities.
That’s why I always encourage people to do their own research rather than assuming a healthcare sharing ministry will work exactly like the insurance they’re accustomed to.
For us, the differences have been manageable, but they do require a slightly different approach to paying for healthcare.
How Much Does Christian Healthcare Ministries Cost?
This was one of the biggest selling points when we originally made the switch.
We have a large family, and one thing I appreciate about CHM is that the monthly contribution isn’t calculated based on the number of children we have.
CHM uses what it calls units. Two parents and their dependent children are generally considered three units, regardless of whether those parents have two children or six.
As of 2026, CHM offers three main participation levels:
| Program | Monthly cost per unit | Three-unit family |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | $299 | $897 |
| Silver | $169 | $507 |
| Bronze | $115 | $345 |
Our family participates in the Gold program, which has a base monthly contribution of $897 for our three units.
We also participate in CHM Plus, an optional program that provides additional sharing for eligible catastrophic medical expenses.
So while I wouldn’t call healthcare inexpensive, this arrangement has been significantly more affordable for our family than the traditional insurance options we were previously paying for.
Of course, that monthly contribution isn’t our entire healthcare budget. We still pay for routine appointments, prescriptions, dental and vision insurance, and other expenses that aren’t eligible for sharing.
And that’s where I think people sometimes misunderstand how healthcare sharing works.
Yes, We Pay Cash When Our Kids Go to the Doctor
When I tell people we use a healthcare sharing ministry, one of the first questions I get is what happens when one of the kids gets sick.
With five children, someone is bound to come down with something eventually. Sometimes it feels like we barely get through one round of illness before another child starts coughing.
For most routine medical appointments, we simply pay cash.
That might sound expensive, especially if you’re accustomed to having a $20 or $30 copay. But here’s something I found interesting when we switched: the amount we were paying for pediatric appointments with insurance wasn’t all that much less than what we now pay without it.
And we were paying thousands of dollars a year in premiums on top of those copays.
When we need an in-person pediatric appointment, we’ve often found cash-pay visits for less than $80. Of course, the cost depends on the provider and what your child needs, but I’ve learned that it’s always worth asking what the self-pay price is.
Some offices offer cash discounts, and others have sliding-scale fees. You may also find that an independent pediatric practice charges significantly less than a larger medical system.
We’ve also made good use of virtual pediatric care.
I’ve previously shared our experience with Blueberry Pediatrics and it’s been a helpful option for our family when we need guidance about a sick child without necessarily making an in-person appointment.
CHM also provides access to HealthTap, which offers virtual primary care and urgent care services.
Obviously, virtual care isn’t appropriate for every situation. If a child needs stitches, X-rays, or a hands-on examination, we’re going to take them somewhere in person. But for certain illnesses and concerns, having access to virtual care can save both time and money.
My biggest advice to parents is not to assume that the price listed on a medical bill is necessarily what you’ll pay as a cash patient. Ask questions, compare options, and don’t be afraid to call around.
What About Prescriptions?
Prescriptions were another concern when we first switched, but we’ve found that paying cash for medications isn’t always as expensive as people might expect.
We’ve used pharmacy coupons and discount programs at places like Walgreens and Safeway, along with services such as GoodRx and WellRx, to compare prices.
Sometimes the difference between pharmacies is surprisingly large, even for the exact same medication.
CHM also offers a Prescription Care Solution with additional discount resources, and certain prescriptions associated with qualifying medical incidents may be eligible for sharing under its guidelines.
For routine prescriptions, though, we generally plan to pay out of pocket.
If your family takes regular medications, I’d encourage you to look up the actual cash prices before assuming a healthcare sharing ministry wouldn’t be an option. You might find that paying for those medications yourself, combined with a lower monthly healthcare contribution, costs less overall than your current insurance arrangement.
Or you might find the opposite. It really depends on the medication, your insurance benefits, and your family’s needs.
What About Vaccinations?
Routine childhood vaccinations are another expense to consider, since they generally aren’t something we submit to CHM for sharing.
Depending on eligibility, families may be able to access vaccinations through local health departments or the federal Vaccines for Children program.
Not every child qualifies, so I’d recommend checking with your local health department rather than assuming vaccinations will automatically be free.
We Still Have Dental and Vision Insurance
Another misconception is that choosing a healthcare sharing ministry means giving up traditional insurance entirely.
That’s not the case for us.
We actually have separate dental insurance through Cigna and vision insurance through VSP. We pay for both independently of our CHM membership.
For our family, that combination makes sense. We like having more traditional benefits for dental and vision care while using CHM for eligible medical expenses.
Those premiums are still part of our overall healthcare costs, of course, and they’re something I would encourage families to factor in when comparing their options.
What Happens When Someone Has a Bigger Medical Expense?
Paying $60 or $80 for a pediatric appointment is one thing. But what happens when someone needs surgery, breaks a bone, or ends up in the emergency room?
This is where CHM’s medical bill sharing comes into play.
Under the Gold program, eligible medical expenses can be submitted for sharing once they meet the program’s qualifying requirements. CHM uses terms such as qualifying amount and Personal Responsibility, which are somewhat similar to insurance deductibles but don’t work exactly the same way.
Rather than trying to explain every possible scenario, I’ll share how we’ve approached larger medical expenses.
When we visit a medical provider, we explain that we’re self-pay patients and members of a healthcare sharing ministry. We ask about cash-pay discounts and payment arrangements, and we make sure we receive itemized bills.
Then we submit the eligible expenses to CHM for review.
Sometimes the provider is willing to wait for payment while CHM processes everything. Other times, we pay the bill ourselves and wait to be reimbursed.
That can be inconvenient, especially when you’re dealing with a larger expense, but it’s something we’ve learned to plan for.
Let’s Say Your Child Breaks an Arm
Here’s a hypothetical example that I think helps explain the difference between paying cash for routine care and submitting a larger medical incident for sharing.
Imagine your child falls off the playground equipment at school and lands awkwardly on their arm.
You take them to urgent care, where the doctor examines the injury and orders X-rays.
Thankfully, the X-rays show it’s only a sprain. Your child goes home with instructions to rest, and you receive a bill for $350.
In that situation, we’d expect to pay the $350 ourselves because the expense falls below CHM Gold’s qualifying threshold for an individual medical incident.
But now imagine the X-rays show a broken arm that requires surgery.
Between the urgent care visit, imaging, surgery, anesthesia, a cast, and orthopedic follow-up appointments, the total could easily reach $15,000 or $20,000.
In that situation, we’d submit the medical bills to CHM as one medical incident. Assuming the injury and expenses qualify, the eligible costs beyond our applicable responsibility could be shared.
And something I appreciate is that the incident doesn’t necessarily end the moment your child leaves the hospital.
If your child needs to return to the orthopedic surgeon two weeks later for another examination or additional X-rays, those expenses may also be eligible under the same incident rather than requiring an entirely new qualifying amount.
The same may apply to other medically necessary follow-up care, depending on CHM’s guidelines.
Of course, every situation is different. There are rules about qualifying expenses, timing, and when an incident is considered complete, so I’d always encourage families to verify those details directly with CHM.
But hopefully that gives you a better idea of how the process works.
What About a Really Serious Medical Emergency?
One of the reasons we chose to add CHM Plus to our membership was the possibility of a catastrophic medical expense.
CHM’s standard programs have a $125,000 lifetime sharing limit per illness. While that sounds like a substantial amount of money, a serious hospitalization or prolonged medical treatment can become incredibly expensive.
CHM Plus, formerly called Brother’s Keeper, is an optional program that provides additional sharing for eligible medical expenses beyond that standard limit.
For Gold members, it offers unlimited sharing per illness for eligible expenses, subject to the program’s guidelines. The additional sharing available to Silver and Bronze members works differently.
We pay an additional $42 per unit per month for CHM Plus, or $126 for our family.
For us, having access to that additional sharing is worth the monthly cost. It’s also important to understand that it isn’t a guarantee that every medical expense will be paid, and the program has enrollment and eligibility requirements.
How Does CHM Work for Pregnancy and Childbirth?
Pregnancy is probably one of the areas where I’ve had the most personal experience with CHM, and it’s also one of the reasons I’ve appreciated our membership so much.
We’ve had several babies during our time with CHM, and we’ve used different types of maternity providers, including midwives.
Under the Gold program, CHM’s maternity Personal Responsibility is $2,500 per eligible pregnancy. As of 2026, members who notify CHM’s maternity team within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy can receive a $500 reduction, bringing that amount down to $2,000.
And that amount isn’t just for the actual delivery.
Eligible maternity expenses can include prenatal appointments, ultrasounds, bloodwork, glucose testing, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. Certain additional services and supplies may also qualify, depending on the circumstances and current guidelines.
I appreciate that pregnancy involves a lot more than the day your baby is born. There are months of appointments, testing, and sometimes unexpected medical concerns along the way.
That said, I wouldn’t assume that every pregnancy-related expense automatically qualifies. I’ve learned it’s much easier to call CHM ahead of time and ask than to submit something later and discover it isn’t eligible.
What If You Need Extra Ultrasounds?
This is actually something we’re navigating during my current pregnancy.
At our anatomy scan, we learned that our baby has a marginal cord insertion, meaning the umbilical cord attaches near the edge of the placenta rather than closer to the center.
Because of that finding, my provider recommended an additional ultrasound around 28 weeks to check on the baby’s growth.
Depending on the results, we may need another scan around 32 weeks or possibly a referral to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
These aren’t elective ultrasounds we’re scheduling because we want another peek at the baby. They’re being recommended because of a medical concern.
CHM has guidelines about how many routine maternity ultrasounds are eligible for sharing, but additional medically necessary scans may also qualify when properly documented.
In previous pregnancies, we’ve needed additional imaging and have been able to submit the provider’s referral along with a letter explaining why the scan was necessary. Those expenses qualified for sharing.
For this pregnancy, we’ll follow the same process for any additional monitoring that’s recommended, understanding that CHM will review the expenses according to its current guidelines.
If your provider recommends additional ultrasounds or specialist appointments, my advice is to ask for documentation explaining why they’re medically necessary. Keep the referral, the itemized bill, and any supporting medical notes.
And when in doubt, call CHM before the appointment.
Understanding Global Maternity Billing
One thing that can be confusing about maternity care is how providers bill for their services.
Many OB-GYN practices use what’s called global maternity billing, which means they bundle certain prenatal appointments, delivery-related physician services, and postpartum care into one charge.
Other expenses, such as ultrasounds, bloodwork, and hospital fees, may be billed separately.
That doesn’t necessarily mean each bill is treated as an entirely new medical incident. Eligible expenses associated with the same pregnancy can generally be submitted together under the maternity guidelines.
But because billing arrangements vary so much between providers, it’s worth discussing the process with both your maternity provider and CHM before you get too far into your pregnancy.
How We Pay Our Midwife
With our midwife, the full fee is generally due by 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Rather than paying everything at once, we make payments throughout our prenatal appointments. Meanwhile, we submit eligible expenses to CHM.
Sometimes the sharing process has moved quickly enough that much of the expense is handled before delivery. Other times, we’ve still been waiting for reimbursement after our six-week postpartum appointment.
We also pay cash for ultrasounds, glucose testing, bloodwork, and other services as they’re performed.
So while our eventual out-of-pocket responsibility may be relatively low for an eligible pregnancy, we still need to have the money available to make those payments in the meantime.
That distinction is important, and it’s one of the biggest things I’d want another expectant mom to understand before joining.
Can You Join CHM If You’re Already Pregnant?
This is another area where timing matters.
CHM’s maternity guidelines generally require the estimated delivery date to be at least 300 days after joining the qualifying program.
That means a pregnancy that’s already underway when you enroll generally won’t qualify for maternity sharing.
If you’re planning to have a baby, I’d recommend reviewing the maternity guidelines before making the switch rather than waiting until you’re pregnant.
The Biggest Drawback for Us: Waiting for Medical Bills to Be Shared
If there’s one thing I’d change about our experience with CHM, it would probably be the occasional delays in processing and sharing medical expenses.
Over eight years, we really haven’t had any major problems with the organization. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been moments when I’ve found myself wondering when a reimbursement was finally going to arrive.
And when you’re paying a provider out of pocket, that waiting period matters.
For example, let’s say your maternity provider requires $5,000 before delivery. Even if your eligible maternity expenses eventually leave you responsible for only $2,000, you may still need to come up with that $5,000 upfront.
You can’t necessarily tell your provider that you’ll pay the balance whenever CHM finishes processing your bills.
That’s why I think having some savings available is especially important when using a healthcare sharing ministry.
We try to plan ahead for medical expenses and keep enough flexibility in our budget to cover bills while we’re waiting for sharing or reimbursement.
I’ve also learned to keep good records. Save receipts, request itemized statements, and follow up when something seems to be taking longer than expected.
It’s not always the most convenient process, but for our family, the savings have made the extra paperwork and occasional waiting worthwhile.
What If Your Family Has Pre-Existing Conditions or Takes Regular Medications?
This is one area where I want to be careful not to make assumptions about what would or wouldn’t work for another family.
Thankfully, we haven’t had to navigate chronic medical issues or pre-existing conditions, so I can’t speak from personal experience about how CHM handles those situations.
But I also wouldn’t automatically tell a family with ongoing medical needs that a healthcare sharing ministry isn’t an option.
CHM has specific guidelines regarding pre-existing conditions, including limitations on what expenses qualify for sharing and when. Rather than trying to guess how those rules might apply to your family, I’d encourage you to call CHM directly and explain your situation.
You might find that certain expenses are eligible, while others aren’t.
And if someone in your family takes a monthly prescription, it’s worth comparing the actual cash price of that medication with what you’re currently spending on insurance.
You may discover that paying for your prescriptions out of pocket, especially with pharmacy coupons or discount programs, is less expensive than you expected.
For some families, those costs combined with a lower monthly healthcare sharing contribution could still represent significant savings.
Of course, medications are only part of the picture. If someone needs frequent specialist appointments, ongoing testing, or treatment for a chronic condition, those expenses need to be considered, too.
Traditional ACA-compliant insurance also provides protections for pre-existing conditions that healthcare sharing ministries aren’t required to offer.
My point isn’t that healthcare sharing will be the best option for everyone. It’s simply that I wouldn’t rule it out without first gathering the actual numbers and talking to someone who can explain how the guidelines apply to your family’s needs.
Are There Medical Expenses CHM Won’t Share?
Yes, and this is something I would encourage every family to look into before joining.
Healthcare sharing ministries have guidelines about which expenses are eligible, and those guidelines may be quite different from what you’re accustomed to with traditional insurance.
Depending on the circumstances, limitations may apply to routine preventive care, certain prescriptions, pre-existing conditions, mental health services, fertility treatments, dental and vision care, and some therapies or procedures.
There are also exclusions involving certain hazardous activities and extreme sports.
For example, CHM specifically identifies motorcycle racing among its excluded activities. If your teenager participates in competitive dirt bike racing, that’s something you’d want to ask about before assuming an injury would qualify for sharing.
That doesn’t mean every recreational activity is excluded, but it’s a good reminder that families should read the guidelines with their own lifestyles in mind.
We all have different medical needs, hobbies, and priorities. What’s an insignificant exclusion for one family could be a major consideration for another.
Questions I’d Ask Before Joining a Healthcare Sharing Ministry
If I were considering a healthcare sharing ministry for the first time today, I’d start by looking at our family’s actual healthcare spending over the past year.
How much are we paying in monthly insurance premiums? How much are we spending on copays, prescriptions, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket expenses? Are there medications or treatments we know we’ll need regularly?
Then I’d compare those numbers with the cost of a healthcare sharing membership, remembering that we’d still need to pay cash for certain services.
I’d also want to know how the ministry handles emergency medical care, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, large medical bills, and any activities our family regularly participates in.
And perhaps most importantly, I’d ask myself whether we could comfortably pay a larger medical bill while waiting for reimbursement.
If the answer is no, that doesn’t necessarily mean a healthcare sharing ministry is out of the question, but it’s certainly something to think carefully about.
I’d also compare the numbers with any employer-sponsored insurance or ACA Marketplace plans available to us, including potential subsidies.
Healthcare sharing isn’t the only alternative to an expensive insurance plan, and families should look at all their options.
After Eight Years, Would We Choose CHM Again?
Yes, we would.
That doesn’t mean every experience has been perfect, and it certainly doesn’t mean I think Christian Healthcare Ministries is the answer for every family.
Our monthly contributions have climbed over the years, and there have been times when waiting for medical bills to be shared has tested my patience. But after more than eight years, those are really our biggest complaints.
We’ve had no major issues with the organization, and we’ve been able to navigate pregnancies, childhood illnesses, and other medical expenses in a way that’s worked well for our family.
One unexpected benefit has been how much more aware we’ve become of what healthcare actually costs. When you’re paying cash for appointments, you start asking questions you might not have thought to ask before. You compare prices between providers, look for pharmacy discounts, and pay closer attention to itemized bills.
And while that does require more effort, I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing.
I also recognize that we’re fortunate not to have ongoing chronic medical issues or significant pre-existing conditions to navigate. Another family’s experience could look very different from ours.
But I hope sharing our experience encourages other parents to at least explore their options, especially if traditional health insurance has become a significant strain on their family budget.
I don’t believe there’s one perfect way for every family to pay for healthcare. What matters is understanding your options, knowing the potential risks, and finding an arrangement that makes sense for your family’s needs and finances.
For us, eight years later, we’re still glad we made the switch.
Editor’s note: This article reflects our family’s personal experience with Christian Healthcare Ministries and is not sponsored by CHM. Healthcare sharing ministries are not insurance, and payment of medical expenses is not guaranteed. Every family’s circumstances are different, and eligibility, sharing amounts, and program guidelines can change. Before making any healthcare decisions, contact CHM directly to verify current costs, eligibility requirements, and which medical expenses may qualify for sharing.
