It's not insurance. They disclose this on their own site[0]. When you go to the hospital, you disclose that. "I don't have health insurance, I am self-paid wit

It's not insurance. They disclose this on their own site[0]. When you go to the hospital, you disclose that. "I don't have health insurance, I am self-paid with a health sharing ministry." I think another major reason is that health sharing ministries don't typically cover pre-existing conditions. That is huge; acquiring health insurance for a pre-existing condition is like buying house insurance after your home has already burned down. Another reason the cost is lower is that, unlike nationwide healthcare, we're a self-maintaining community. You abide by the communities standards -- which tend to decrease disease -- and you remain in the community. But if you break the community standards, and engage in medically-risky behavior, you're removed from the community. This works great for smaller groups with shared values. It cannot work in nationwide healthcare. And it's a big reason the cost is so much lower. [0]: www.chministries.org/downloads/newsletters/CHMApril2013.pdf