So if there are no copays or deductibles, then how do members pay for medical treatment when they join a healthshare plan? Firstly, their monthly fees go towards a shared fund, allowing members to cover each other’s medical bills fairly easily. Secondly, each member is responsible for paying a certain amount of money for their medical services before they can request funding assistance from other members. For example, a member might have to pay the first $500 for a pacemaker implant, while the remainder may be covered by other members. This is similar to a deductible, but the overall costs may be much lower when you compare it to a typical ACA health plan. 

Health sharing began with Christian groups in early American history, such as Mormons and Mennonites. However, the system has evolved considerably over the years, and new technology has made it easier than ever to share costs. For example, some programs use innovative crowdfunding technology to seamlessly pay members’ bills after funding requests are made. In addition, health sharing plans are no longer limited to those who adhere to the Christian faith, and you can join programs that have no relation to religious beliefs.

Another major source of frustration for many Americans is the system of copayments. Combined with deductibles and monthly premiums, this drives up the cost of insurance to the point where many wonder whether their plan is even worth it. At the end of the day, copayments disproportionately affect low-income Americans and dissuade policyholders from getting the treatment that they need. 

Doctor networks are another major issue, as policyholders are not always given the freedom to choose the providers they prefer. Instead, they must go through the time-consuming process of making sure a doctor is within their insurer’s network. If they visit an out-of-network provider, they may lose all of their coverage. Sometimes, they are left with no choice but to leave their networks in order to get the treatment they need. 

Under a true free market system, insurance companies would reject many individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. This is because these individuals represent a major financial risk, as there is really no benefit to covering these people from a business perspective. They will obviously incur substantial medical costs that completely outweigh any premiums or deductibles they might be paying. While rejecting these individuals might seem cruel from an ethical standpoint, it also protects healthy individuals from bearing the financial burden of those with chronic diseases and serious, permanent medical issues. 

To its credit, the Affordable Care Act prevents insurance companies from rejecting people with pre-existing conditions. But this has the effect of forcing healthy individuals to pay higher premiums to balance out the costs associated with these chronically-ill patients. Even if you pursue an extremely healthy lifestyle and engage in smart preventative care, you will always be tasked with paying for the sickest members of society under the ACA system. These include individuals who have made irresponsible lifestyle decisions, such as excessive drinking, poor diets, and drug abuse. One has to wonder whether this is a truly ethical system, or whether it places an unfair burden on those who take their health seriously.