Texas is one of the best states in the country for health sharing plans. There's no state insurance mandate (so you won't be penalized for skipping traditional insurance), a massive self-employed and small business population, and — uniquely — one health sharing option that's available only to Texans.

Why Texas Is Different

Most states follow the ACA framework: if you don't have qualifying insurance, you're technically uninsured (though there's no federal penalty since 2019). Texas never established a state-level individual mandate, so Texans have always had more flexibility to choose non-traditional coverage.

Texas also has more self-employed workers than almost any other state — 1.8 million, roughly 13% of the workforce. That's a lot of people facing $600-$1,200/month ACA premiums who are looking for alternatives.

All 6 Plans Available in Texas

| Plan | Monthly Cost (Individual) | Best For | Pre-Existing Wait | Faith Required | |------|--------------------------|----------|------------------|----------------| | CrowdHealth | ~$140 | Young, healthy, rarely need care | None | No | | Zion HealthShare | $185–$268 | Best overall value | None (as of Jan 2026) | No | | Medi-Share | $227–$405 | Christians who want stability | 12 months | Yes | | Sedera | $199–$379 | Employer groups, high earners | Varies | No | | Samaritan Ministries | $220–$495 | Christian community focus | 12–24 months | Yes | | Presidio Healthcare | $300–$600 | Anyone with pre-existing conditions | None | No |

The Texas-Only Option: Presidio Healthcare

Presidio is the outlier in this list. Every other plan on this page is technically a health sharing ministry — a private membership organization where members share medical costs. Presidio is a licensed insurance product, regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance.

What that means in practice:

• Pre-existing conditions covered immediately (no waiting period)
• Works like regular insurance with an actual deductible + out-of-pocket max
• Higher monthly costs ($300–$600/month individual), but closer to traditional insurance in terms of protection
• Texas residents only

Who Presidio makes sense for:

• Anyone with a chronic condition (diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease)
• People who've been denied or priced out of health sharing due to health history
• Those who want real insurance regulatory protections, not sharing guidelines

Who should skip Presidio:

• Healthy people who want the lowest monthly cost — Zion or CrowdHealth will save you $100–$400/month

Zion HealthShare: Best Value for Most Texans

For healthy Texans without significant pre-existing conditions, Zion is hard to beat.

• $185–$268/month for an individual (varies by age and plan tier)
• No faith requirement (dropped January 2026)
• Cigna PPO network — 950,000+ providers nationwide, most Texas hospitals included
• Telehealth and prescriptions included (most plans don't cover this)
• No pre-existing wait (as of January 2026)

A 35-year-old in Austin choosing Zion Standard ($215/month) vs. a Silver ACA plan (~$380/month) saves $1,980/year. Over 5 years, that's nearly $10,000 — assuming they stay healthy.

CrowdHealth: The Cheapest Option

At ~$140/month, CrowdHealth is the lowest-cost option available to Texans. It operates differently from traditional health sharing: instead of a pooled fund, members crowdfund each other's bills directly.

Who it works for:

• People under 40 in good health who rarely need medical care
• Those who want a safety net for catastrophic events, not routine care
• Families with young children (CrowdHealth is consistently strong for families)

The limitation: CrowdHealth works best if you rarely make claims. Heavy users report the crowdfunding model can feel uncertain compared to traditional sharing pools.

Cost Comparison: Texas ACA vs Health Sharing

For a 35-year-old non-smoker in Dallas:

| Coverage Type | Monthly Premium | Annual Deductible | Out-of-Pocket Max | |--------------|----------------|-------------------|-------------------| | ACA Bronze | ~$250 | $7,000 | $9,100 | | ACA Silver | ~$380 | $4,500 | $7,500 | | ACA Gold | ~$520 | $1,500 | $6,000 | | Zion Basic | $185 | $5,000 IUA | ~$5,000/incident | | Zion Standard | $215 | $2,500 IUA | ~$2,500/incident | | CrowdHealth | $140 | Varies per claim | No hard cap | | Presidio | $300–$400 | $2,500–$5,000 | $7,500 |

ACA costs are unsubsidized. If you qualify for ACA subsidies (income under 400% FPL), ACA becomes significantly more competitive.

What About ACA Subsidies?

This is important: if your income falls between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (~$14,000–$58,000 for a single person in 2026), you likely qualify for ACA premium tax credits.

With subsidies, your ACA premium could drop to $0–$100/month, which changes the math entirely. Run the numbers at healthcare.gov before committing to a health sharing plan if your income is in that range.

Health sharing plans do not qualify for ACA subsidies.

Texas-Specific Considerations

Texas Medical Bills: Texas has some of the country's highest hospital costs. A typical ER visit in Houston or Dallas runs $2,000–$8,000, and a one-night hospital stay averages $12,000–$25,000. Make sure you understand how your plan handles these before you sign up.

Provider Networks: Zion's Cigna network covers most major Texas hospital systems (HCA, Baylor, Memorial Hermann, Texas Health Resources). CrowdHealth, Medi-Share, and Samaritan don't use a PPO network — you can see any provider, but you may need to negotiate cash rates.

Small Business Owners: If you own a Texas business, Sedera is worth a look. Sedera is designed for employer groups and often works well as a benefits package for small businesses (2+ employees). Monthly costs are competitive and there's no faith requirement.

Which Plan Should You Choose?

Choose Presidio if: You have a pre-existing condition and need real coverage from day one.

Choose Zion if: You're healthy, want the lowest cost with good features, and don't need a faith-based community.

Choose CrowdHealth if: You're young, healthy, and want the absolute lowest monthly cost.

Choose Medi-Share or Samaritan if: You're Christian, value the faith-based community aspect, and are healthy (so the 12-month pre-existing wait doesn't matter).

Choose Sedera if: You're a Texas small business owner looking to offer benefits to employees.

Not sure which fits your situation? Take our 2-minute quiz — answer 6 questions and we'll match you with the right plan based on your health, budget, and priorities.

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