What Is Health Care Sharing and How Does It Work?

If you recently joined Universal Health Fellowship or are considering membership, you have come across the phrase “health care sharing ministry” and wondered what it means and how it works. That is a fair question, and we want to give you a clear, honest answer before your first doctor visit.
The short version: health care cost sharing is a community-based way to handle medical needs. But let us walk through what that really looks like.

It Starts with Community

Health care sharing is built on a simple idea: a group of people who share common values agree to voluntarily help cover each other’s eligible medical needs. When one member has a qualifying medical need, the costs are shared across the membership through monthly share amounts. It is a voluntary commitment between people.

Universal Health Fellowship (UHF) is a not-for-profit health care sharing ministry (HCSM). When you join Universal Health Fellowship, your monthly share amount helps other members with their eligible medical needs. When you have needs of your own, the community is there for you.

This Is Not Insurance

Universal HealthShare programs are not insurance, and UHF is not an insurance company. That is not a disclaimer we hide in the fine print. It is something we say upfront because it shapes how your membership works.

Your monthly share amount is not a premium and there are no contracts. The relationship is voluntary and values-based, not regulatory. This is part of what makes the model work the way it does: lower costs, broader provider flexibility, and a community built on shared purpose.

How It Works Day to Day

Universal HealthShare offers multiple different programs, each with multiple options to fit different needs and budgets. All programs work around the same core structure:

• Monthly share amount: Your contribution to the community each month.
• Annual Non-Sharable Amount (NSA): The amount you are responsible for each year before most eligible expenses can be shared. Think of it as your initial financial responsibility. Each program has its own NSA, so check your Sharing Guidelines for the specifics.
• Consultation fees: Per-visit fees for office visits that are your responsibility and are not shared. These replace what you may have known as co-pays in other coverage.
• Sharing Guidelines: The document that defines what is and is not eligible for sharing, waiting periods, visit limits, and how expenses are handled. This is your go-to resource.

What Happens When You Have a Medical Need

Universal HealthShare uses the Multiplan/PHCS Professional and Ancillary Network, with over 700,000 practitioners nationwide. You can also use any accredited hospital in the continental United States.

For in-network providers, they can often bill UHF directly on your behalf. For out-of-network providers, you may need to pay and submit the expense for sharing. The back of your membership card has instructions and as always, you can always call the customer service number to talk to member support if you have questions before or after a visit.

For non-emergency inpatient stays and outpatient surgeries, pre-notification is required. When in doubt, call first.

What Is Already Included

All Universal HealthShare programs include UHSRx at no extra cost. This gives you access to over 1,000 common generic medications, many at no charge, with both mail-order and urgent in-person options. Telemedicine is also included in all programs with no consultation fee and no limit on use.

If you want additional coverage for dental, vision, and virtual mental health services, the Health Tools add-on is available for a small monthly fee per household.

Getting Started on the Right Foot

The most important thing you can do as a new member is read your Sharing Guidelines before you need care. Understanding what is eligible, what your NSA is, and how to submit an expense will save you a lot of confusion later. Your member portal is the best place to start.
And if you have questions, real people are available. UHF’s member support team is here to walk you through how everything works, help you find a provider, and make sure you feel confident before your next appointment.

→ Already a member? Log into your portal to review your Sharing Guidelines and get set up.