Health Sharing with a Chronic Condition
Zion HealthShare shares hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes from day 1 — the major exception in the industry. Every other plan imposes 6–24 month waiting periods on pre-existing conditions, with phased sharing in years 1–4. If your chronic condition is well-managed, Zion is the clear best fit. If it's unmanaged, expensive, or recently diagnosed, ACA insurance is the safer choice.
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The single biggest question for chronic-condition shoppers: will the plan share my ongoing care, and how long do I have to wait? This page lays out the actual waiting periods and phase-in schedules across every featured plan, plus the three conditions Zion treats differently from everyone else.
Pre-Existing Condition Rules by Plan
| Plan | Waiting Period | Phase-In | Individual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| CrowdHealth | 2 years ineligible | Years 1-2: not eligible for crowdfunding | Year 3+: up to $25K/year (per current published FAQ). Note: Prior schedules showed higher Year 3+ limits — verify directly with CrowdHealth before enrolling. | $60–$200 |
| Zion HealthShare | Phase-in period applies | Pre-existing conditions (anything diagnosed/treated in the 24 months before joining) are subject to a phase-in period before becoming eligible for sharing. Exceptions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are covered from month one — provided none resulted in hospitalization in the prior 12 months. All other pre-existing conditions face a phase-in period (see Member Guidelines PDF for exact schedule). | $114–$320 |
| Medi-Share | 36 months | Pre-existing conditions are not shared for the first 36 months. After 36 consecutive months, shared up to $100,000/member/year; after 60 months, up to $500,000/member/year. | $115–$470 |
| CHM (Christian Healthcare Ministries) | 12 months | A condition is no longer pre-existing after 12 months symptom/treatment-free; cancer requires 5 years cancer-free. | $115–$299 |
| Knew Health | Phase-in | Not shared year 1; limited years 2-4; from year 4 shared but capped at $125,000 per 12-month rolling period (a permanent cap on pre-existing conditions). | $142–$379 |
| Sedera | 12-36 month phase-in | Not shared in the first 12 months; graduated annual caps in months 13-36; fully shareable after 36 months. A 36-month look-back defines a pre-existing condition. | $153–$742 |
| Samaritan Ministries | 12 months | 50% first year. 5 years symptom-free for cancer, heart, and hereditary conditions; type-1 diabetes is permanently excluded. | $199–$365 |
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Zion HealthShare is the only plan that publishes a specific list of common chronic conditions shareable from day 1: hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. The catch: none of those conditions can have required hospitalization in the prior 12 months. So if your HBP is well managed on a daily medication and hasn't sent you to the ER recently, Zion will share it from your first month.
That's a meaningful exception. These three conditions account for a substantial portion of chronic-care utilization in adults 40+. For someone with managed HBP who would otherwise face a 12-month waiting period at Medi-Share or CHM, Zion eliminates the gap entirely.
What About Everything Else?
For chronic conditions outside that three-condition list — thyroid disorders, asthma, autoimmune conditions, sleep apnea, anxiety/depression — every plan imposes some form of waiting period:
- Sedera — 6 months at 50% sharing, 100% after. Shortest general phase-in.
- Samaritan Ministries — 12 months, then 50% in year 1, full sharing after.
- Medi-Share — 12 months, then 25% / 50% / 75% / 100% over 4 years.
- CHM — 6 months, then phased sharing per published schedule.
- Knew Health — Phase-in period (verify exact schedule directly with Knew).
- Zion HealthShare — Phase-in period for non-listed conditions (specifics in member guidelines).
- CrowdHealth — 2 full years ineligible, then capped at $25K/year in year 3+.
The Prescription Trap
Chronic conditions almost always mean ongoing medications, and most plans don't share daily maintenance drugs even when the condition itself is shared. That's the gap that surprises people. The plans that actually include prescriptions in their sharing scope: CrowdHealth, Sedera, Knew Health, Zion. The plans that don't: CHM, Samaritan, and (for ongoing maintenance) Medi-Share. If you take a $200+/month medication, that's $2,400+/year out of pocket on the plans that don't share it.
When Health Sharing Isn't the Right Call
The blunt truth: if you have an actively expensive chronic condition that needs immediate, ongoing care, ACA insurance is the better answer. Conditions where health sharing's waiting period creates real financial risk include active cancer treatment, autoimmune disease on biologic medications, organ transplant follow-up, severe heart disease, and any condition requiring frequent hospitalization. ACA covers pre-existing conditions immediately. The premium is higher, but the coverage is real on day 1.
The Bottom Line
Managed HBP, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes — Zion HealthShare ($114– $320/mo) is the clear best fit, with day-1 sharing for those three conditions. Other chronic conditions — Sedera has the shortest general phase-in at 6 months. Avoid CrowdHealth if you have any active chronic condition (2-year exclusion is a major exposure). Budget separately for daily maintenance prescriptions on every plan. If your condition is unmanaged or expensive, ACA insurance is usually the safer call despite the higher premium.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join a health sharing plan if I have diabetes?
Yes — most plans accept members with type 2 diabetes, but the sharing rules differ sharply. Zion HealthShare is the standout: it shares type 2 diabetes care from day 1, provided the condition has not required hospitalization in the previous 12 months. Medi-Share and CHM accept diabetic members but impose a 12-month waiting period for diabetes-related care. CrowdHealth excludes pre-existing conditions for the first 2 years. Type 1 diabetes is more restricted — most plans treat it as a higher-cost condition requiring a longer phase-in.
What about high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
These are the two most commonly managed chronic conditions in adults 40+, and Zion HealthShare is essentially the only plan that shares them from day 1 — no waiting period, no phase-in (same hospitalization caveat applies). Every other featured plan imposes a 6–24 month waiting period. If managed HBP or cholesterol is your only health issue, Zion is the clear winner. If you have multiple chronic conditions or unmanaged HBP/cholesterol, the answer gets more nuanced.
Will my ongoing medication be shared?
Most plans do not share ongoing maintenance medications, even when they share the underlying condition. Medi-Share shares prescriptions for newly diagnosed acute conditions for up to 6 months but does not share ongoing maintenance meds. CHM and Samaritan do not share prescriptions at all. CrowdHealth, Sedera, Knew Health, and Zion include prescriptions in their sharing scope. The honest math: budget separately for ongoing maintenance prescriptions even on plans that "cover" them. Pair the plan with GoodRx or a similar discount service for daily medications.
What is "phase-in" sharing and how long does it actually take?
Phase-in means the plan shares a portion of your pre-existing condition costs each year, increasing over time. Medi-Share: 25% year 1, 50% year 2, 75% year 3, 100% year 4+. CHM has a similar phased structure. Samaritan: 50% in year 1, full sharing after 12 months. The practical impact: if you have a $20,000 chronic condition expense in year 1 at Medi-Share, only $5,000 would be shareable. Plan for that gap if you switch with an active condition.
When is health sharing NOT a good fit for chronic conditions?
When the condition is expensive, ongoing, and you cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket during the waiting period. Examples: cancer in active treatment, autoimmune disease requiring biologics, multiple sclerosis, severe heart disease, organ transplant follow-up. In those cases, the 1–4 year phase-in will cost you tens of thousands out of pocket before the plan starts sharing meaningfully. ACA insurance covers pre-existing conditions immediately with no waiting period — the higher premium is usually worth it.
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