Learning The Limits Of Health Care Sharing Plans.
The article focuses on the limitations and risks of health care sharing plans, also known as health care sharing ministries, through the experience of a college student who underwent emergency brain surgery but found that her health care sharing plan did not cover any of the costs due to a preexisti...
| Published in: | Health Affairs Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 97 - 101 |
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| Format: | anecdote pictorial Journal Article |
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Health Affairs Publishing, LLC
Jan2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=193166080&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 193166080 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 02782715 HAF jtl: Health Affairs issn: 02782715 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jan2026 vid: 45 iid: 1 pid: 1453 pub: Health Affairs Publishing, LLC place: Washington, District of Columbia artinfo: ui: 193166080 193166080 193166080 10.1377/HLTHAFF.2025.00236 193166080 ppf: 97 ppct: 4 formats: tig: atl: Learning The Limits Of Health Care Sharing Plans. aug: au: FUDE, EIRENE affil: Graduate student at the University of Washington Bothell's School of Nursing and Health Sciences studying community health sug: subj: Insurance Coverage Health Care Costs Health Services Accessibility Patient Rights Narrative Medicine Health Insurance Exchanges Health Expenditures Neurosurgery Intensive Care Units Charities ab: The article focuses on the limitations and risks of health care sharing plans, also known as health care sharing ministries, through the experience of a college student who underwent emergency brain surgery but found that her health care sharing plan did not cover any of the costs due to a preexisting condition clause. These plans, which pool members’ resources to share medical expenses, are not regulated as insurance and often exclude coverage for preexisting conditions, leaving members vulnerable to significant financial burdens. The article highlights challenges in regulation, transparency, and consumer protections, noting that many states exempt these ministries from insurance laws and that appeals processes are internal and final. It concludes by emphasizing the need for stronger regulation and public education to ensure consumer protections and calls for broader reform of the U.S. health care system to improve affordability and accessibility for all. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: anecdote pictorial Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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