Liberty HealthShare provides members with a faith-based alternative for sharing eligible medical expenses while fostering a supportive community. And what better way to celebrate National Healthcare Decisions Day this April 16 than by checking out what Liberty HealthShare has to offer?
National Healthcare Decisions Day is all about getting people to think ahead about healthcare preferences before they actually need them. While planning many other life events — vacations, retirement, and even dinner plans — is commonplace, this day reminds us to prepare our healthcare, too.
The whole point is making sure your voice is heard in your medical care.
Members Come First at Liberty HealthShare
Ensuring its members feel seen and heard is part of the Liberty HealthShare way. Liberty HealthShare distinguishes itself through its dedication to member needs. The ministry employs approximately 165 team members who guide participants through healthcare decisions with personalized attention.
“We honestly and sincerely want to cater to our members and help them navigate their healthcare journey because there are providers out there that are difficult to work with or who are not going to be transparent in talking to you,” explains Chief Executive Officer Dorsey Morrow.
“You can expect a lot of communication from us, a lot of resources,” Morrow states. “The first year, you’re probably going to be inundated with emails, and communications, and videos. ‘How do you do this? How do you do that?’”
Prayer Supports Healthcare Journeys
Prayer forms a cornerstone of Liberty HealthShare’s approach. Staff members regularly pause their workday to pray for participants facing health challenges.
“We have a list that is distributed internally every Friday of prayer requests from our members,” Morrow shares. “It’s one of those times during the day you just stop, you read through it, and then we pray over it. Whether it’s with the member or for the member, we are about prayer. We strongly believe in that here.”
This spiritual focus provides comfort during difficult situations and reflects the biblical values underpinning the ministry.
Liberty HealthShare Offers Multiple Program Options
The ministry recognizes diverse healthcare needs by offering six medical cost-sharing programs with various price points and support structures. Suggested monthly share amounts range from $89 to $369 for individuals, while family options start at $319.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healthcare,” Morrow says. “We understand that. It’s why we work hard to support our members and do all of that hand-holding no matter what program they choose to participate in, whether it’s the low-cost catastrophic program or it’s the broader scale program at the other end.”
Liberty HealthShare also offers its members a supplemental dental sharing program with suggested monthly shares beginning at $35.
Freedom To Choose Providers
While Liberty HealthShare encourages its members to utilize providers who participate in the PHCS network to help control costs, participants retain the freedom to visit their preferred provider.
“We do offer our members access to a network, one of the largest in the country, which helps our members control costs, but you’re not obligated to use it,” Morrow mentions.
This flexibility extends to program participation itself. Members can join or leave without annual commitment periods. “You can join our membership, and if you determine it doesn’t work for you, you’re not locked into it,” Morrow notes. “You’re free to move to another program, another ministry, or some other option.”
Transparent Operations Build Trust
Liberty HealthShare maintains full transparency with members and the public. The ministry publishes financial information, guidelines, audit reports, and leadership details on its website.
“Anything and everything you want to know about Liberty HealthShare, you can go to our website. You’ll see we are an open book,” Morrow adds. The healthsharing ministry says it operates with transparency. “You can find our Form 990. You can find our Sharing Guidelines. You can find our audit report. You know who our board of directors are.”
Members track their contributions’ impact through ShareBox, Liberty HealthShare’s secure, online portal, which shows exactly how their monthly shares help others in the community.
The ministry has earned recognition from Charity Navigator and Candid, leading nonprofit evaluators, for operational excellence, transparency, and accountability.
Proactive Medical Cost Management
Liberty HealthShare actively works to reduce healthcare expenses through multiple negotiation strategies. The ministry works with several specialized vendors to engage with providers rather than relying on a single approach.
“We don’t use just one or two vendors to help us negotiate with medical providers on behalf of our members,” Morrow explains. “We’ve got three or four various vendors, and each of them have a very specific task and help us identify problem areas.”
This multilayered tactic helps keep member costs manageable while ensuring fair compensation for healthcare providers.
30 Years of Faith-Based Sharing
Liberty HealthShare celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, having begun at a small Mennonite church in rural Virginia. The Gospel Light Mennonite Church Medical Aid Plan expanded after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, achieving federal recognition as an eligible healthcare sharing ministry in 2014.
Liberty HealthShare established its headquarters in Ohio in 2015, continuing the tradition of members helping each other by sharing healthcare expenses. The ministry now serves members nationwide while maintaining its founding principles.
“God has certainly graced Liberty HealthShare with his blessings,” says Morrow. “He has presented us with some challenges over the years, but we continue to do his work by helping our members share the burdens of their fellow believers since 1995.”