CrowdHealth
Referral Program

No, CrowdHealth is NOT insurance. Instead, it’s a community-driven alternative to traditional healthcare coverage. Instead we:

• Believe in people over profits –  Our business model is unique. We do not pool funds, and unlike insurance, we do not profit in any way ‍from sickness. We promote your wellbeing.‍
• Facilitate direct member-to-member funding – No insurance middlemen. We do not touch any of the crowdfunding. ‍
• Provide dedicated care advocates - no more waiting on hold, robo calls, a dedicated Care Advocate.‍
• Only Ask for what is needed - Our business model is unique. We do not pool funds, and unlike insurance, we do not profit in any way as a result of members’ medical bills.‍
• Prioritize transparency - We share monthly crowdfunding results on our website and always let you know your upcoming contribution in advance, so there are no surprises.

‍

No, there is no longer a federal penalty for not having health insurance, as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s individual mandate penalty was eliminated for the 2019 tax year and onwards. However, some states, including California, DC, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, still have their own individual mandates and penalties for not having health insurance. However, the penalties are usually small in comparison to what you save using CrowdHealth. 

• CrowdHealth is a crowdfunding platform, not a healthsharing platform. 
• We have no statement of faith, and are not religiously affiliated.
• Most healthshares also have a maximum reimbursement per health event of around $250k. CrowdHealth has no maximum per event.
• Most health shares do not focus on preventative care, and that is a huge priority for CrowdHealth. We offer quarterly bonuses for things like gut health tests and DEXA scans, and encourage members to get regular blood work panels to identify small issues before they become big ones.

CrowdHealth is designed to maximize the probability that all Members’ eligible bills can be funded each month. 

• For big, planned bills (like expensive surgeries), we’ll negotiate the cost to a 30-60% discount before the procedure event happens. 
• For big emergency bills, we'll work with our partners to negotiate them after the fact. There is no maximum amount of health care costs you can share with the Community.

While contributions are voluntary and we cannot guarantee funding, the community's track record shows a strong commitment to supporting members' medical expenses. For the people who like stats – 99% of bills that were approved and submitted to the Crowd have been funded.

CrowdHealth does not limit your access to care through stifling doctor networks. As a Member, you can keep seeing your favorite doc, or talk to your Care Advocate if you need help finding a new high-quality provider.

When you go to the doctor for a standard appointment, ask for the cash price and pay the bill. For health events greater than $500, you commit to funding the first $500 and can submit a funding request to CrowdHealth for anything over that amount.

• For scheduled services, like labs, imaging, or surgeries, let us know ahead of time. We can contact your doctor and help negotiate pricing before you go.

For emergencies, let us know before you pay your bill. Our partners can help you negotiate your emergency bill before it's paid.

Examples of procedures and treatments that are not eligible for funding include (but are not limited to): 

• Cosmetic procedures
• Long-term prescriptions
• Fertility/infertility treatments. 

Procedures and treatments tied to a previously diagnosed condition are not eligible for funding in the first and second years of your Membership, and funding is limited in subsequent years.

Read more under Caring Abundantly in the Member Guide.

A health event is defined as any unique health scenario that arises for a Member and includes all related expenses, which may consist of multiple medical bills.

Example: If you're in a car accident, all related medical expenses—like the ER visit, X-rays, surgery, and follow-up appointments—are considered one Health Event. You pay the first $500 and all eligible expenses beyond that can be submitted for crowdfunding. 

CrowdHealth considers a previously diagnosed condition to be anything you've received care for in the past five years. That includes:

• Symptoms (past or present) that may require future treatment, even without a diagnosis
• A diagnosed illness or injury that isn’t fully resolved
• A current issue you’re actively seeking treatment for or plan to
• Chronic conditions that require ongoing care or management

Expenses related to previously diagnosed conditions are not eligible for crowdfunding during your first two years of membership. Starting in year three, up to $25,000 per year can be submitted for related care—because long-term support is part of what we’re about.

If you have any questions, concerns or are unsure if something is considered previously diagnosed, we encourage you to reach out and schedule a time with an expert to discuss options.

We proudly support expecting families while ensuring responsible enrollment and care for every member. All three phases of maternity care —prenatal, labor & delivery, and postpartum—count as a single Pregnancy Health Event.

• You pay the first $3,000 in bills and eligible expenses beyond that may be crowdfunded.
• Your baby’s care from birth to six months is managed as a separate health event and qualifies when added as a new member within 30 days of birth.
• Any illness or complications at birth are treated as a separate health event.

Eligibility Guidelines
If the expected delivery date is less than 300 days after the mother's membership start date:

• Maternity expenses are not eligible for crowdfunding.
• The baby cannot join the Crowd until two weeks of age.

Pregnancies near this timeline may require third-party clinical review for eligibility.

One annual wellness event per Member per year, (up to $300), is eligible for crowdfunding without the initial $500 Member Commitment. Eligible wellness events include:

• primary care wellness exam/physical, including naturopathy;
• pediatric well-child visits;
• direct primary care (DPC) membership fee;
• annual female gynecological exam and labs;
• dental exam, including cleaning and X-rays; or
• vision exam.

Prescriptions related to a specific health event that occurs while you are a Member are eligible for funding for 120 days after that event. Prescriptions lasting longer than 120 days are not eligible for crowdfunding, but regardless of the timeline, you have access to our pharmacy discount partner, which can reduce your prescription costs by 50-60%.

Since CrowdHealth isn’t insurance, you cannot contribute to an HSA to fund your Membership. This may be an option in the future, but in the meantime, and you can still expect to save hundreds to thousands of dollars a year on your health costs.

If you have existing money in an HSA account, you could use that to pay for your medical bills that fall within the $500 Member Commitment (each Member pays up to $500 per unique health event before expenses are submitted for crowdfunding). However, existing HSA dollars could not be used to pay your monthly Membership fee or contributions to CrowdHealth.

• A Dedicated Care Advocate - Get one-on-one support to help you navigate the healthcare system as a self-pay patient.
• Find a Doc Services - We’ll help you locate high-quality, fair-priced providers near you.
• Prescription Discounts - Access discounts on thousands of medications through our partner MedalistRx
• Bill negotiation on your behalf - Our team will negotiate your medical bills to help lower costs for any bills that are priced unfairly. Check out our social media pages to see some of the negotiations.
• Unlimited virtual primary and urgent care  - Get 24/7 access to doctors through HealthTap. Fully crowdfundable.
• Unlimited Virtual Talk Therapy - Mental health support anytime, anywhere through BetterHelp.
• Annual Wellness Event – Crowdfund up to $300 for preventive care each year (no Member Commitment required).
• FOLD Savings Program - Automatically transfer the difference between your monthly crowdfunding maximum and actual contributions directly to your Fold+ account. As a CrowdHealth member, we’ll cover your Fold+ subscription for as long as you’re enrolled.
• Quarterly Specials - Enjoy seasonal wellness perks and limited-time offers exclusively for members.
• And more!

‍

No, CrowdHealth has no maximum limit. All eligible health events can be submitted for crowdfunding.

At this time:

• Primary members must be 18 years or older (those under age of 18 can be added as dependents).
• We cannot accept members 65 or older.
• We do not accept daily tobacco users (past or present for three or more months)
• We have weight limitations (220 pounds for females, 260 pounds for males. This does not apply for children).

CrowdHealth does not have enrollment periods and does not have contracts. You can sign up and/or cancel at any time.

‍