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Health Sharing Plans in California (2026)
Health sharing is legal in California but does NOT satisfy the state individual mandate. California residents may owe a penalty of 2.5% of household income or $900+ per adult. Read this page fully before enrolling.
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California Individual Mandate — Important Disclosure
California law requires residents to maintain ACA-compliant health coverage. Health sharing plans are not ACA-compliant and do not satisfy this requirement. If you enroll in health sharing and have no other qualifying coverage, you may owe a state tax penalty when you file your California return.
Health sharing can still make financial sense in California for the right person — but the math is more complicated here than in states without a mandate. This page lays out the full picture so you can decide with complete information.
California's Individual Mandate — What It Costs
California reinstated its own individual mandate in 2020 after the federal mandate penalty was reduced to zero. Under California law, residents who lack minimum essential coverage for any month of the year pay a penalty when filing their state taxes.
The penalty is the greater of:
- 2.5% of household income above the filing threshold, or
- Flat dollar amount — $900 per adult, $450 per dependent child in 2026 (indexed annually)
For a single person earning $80,000, the 2.5% calculation produces approximately $1,600 per year (2.5% of income above the ~$17,000 threshold). The flat amount would be $900. California would assess the larger figure — $1,600.
The honest calculation
If health sharing saves you $400/month vs ACA ($4,800/year) but you owe a $1,600 penalty, your net savings are $3,200. That can still be worthwhile — but you need to factor in the penalty, not ignore it.
Penalty calculations are complex. Consult a California tax professional for your specific situation.
Check Covered California Before Switching
California operates Covered California, one of the most robust state ACA exchanges in the country. Subsidies here are significant — and the ACA benchmark premium for California is $570/month (KFF 2026), which is meaningfully lower than Texas ($661) or many other states.
With enhanced federal subsidies extended through 2025 (and potentially beyond), many California residents qualify for substantial help:
- Income under ~$62,000 (single) or $125,000 (family of 4): likely subsidy-eligible
- Income under 250% FPL (~$38,000 single): eligible for cost-sharing reductions on Silver plans
- Income under 150% FPL (~$23,000 single): may qualify for near-zero premium coverage
If you fall into any of these brackets, run the numbers on Covered California before choosing health sharing. The combination of subsidies plus avoiding the mandate penalty often makes ACA the better financial choice for mid-income Californians.
Who Health Sharing Makes Sense for in California
Despite the mandate complexity, health sharing can still be the right call for a specific profile of California resident:
High earners above the subsidy cliff
If your income is well above 400% FPL (~$62,000+ single, $125,000+ family of 4), you receive no ACA subsidy. Full-price ACA at $570/month or more gets compared against health sharing at $185–$379/month — even after factoring in the mandate penalty, the math can favor health sharing by thousands per year.
Self-employed with variable income
California has one of the largest freelance and gig economies in the country. Self-employed residents with unpredictable income sometimes find health sharing attractive for its month-to-month flexibility — though the mandate penalty applies regardless of how long you are enrolled.
Residents who understand and accept the penalty
The mandate penalty is real, but it is finite. If your health sharing savings significantly exceed the penalty — which is possible for high earners — the net savings still make health sharing worth considering. The key is doing the math explicitly, not discovering the penalty at tax time.
Plan Availability in California
Not all health sharing plans accept California residents. One notable exclusion:
CrowdHealth — Not Available in California
CrowdHealth explicitly excludes California residents. If CrowdHealth was on your shortlist, the plans below are the available alternatives.
Sedera is available in California (it excludes AK, HI, IL, ME, MD, NH, PA, VT, and WA — but not CA).
Health Sharing Plans Available in California
7 plans are currently vetted and accepting new members in CA. Pricing shown is the starting individual monthly cost for 2026.
Zion HealthShare
No faith requirement
Zion HealthShare is a modern health sharing ministry founded in 2019, based in St. George, UT, with 75,000+ members. Monthly contributions start at $114 for individuals and $334 for families, with unlimited sharing per need (no annual or lifetime cap) and no faith requirement. No provider network — members can see any doctor. Includes telehealth, prescriptions, maternity, mental health, preventive care, emergency, and surgery. Pre-existing conditions phase in over 4 years: nothing shared year 1; up to $25,000/request in year 2; up to $50,000/request in year 3; up to $125,000 per 12-month period from year 4 onward (permanent cap). Exception: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are shareable from day one if the member was not hospitalized for them in the prior 12 months.
Medi-Share
Christian faith required
Medi-Share is the largest health sharing ministry with 400,000+ members, founded in 1993 and based in Melbourne, FL. Monthly contributions vary by age and AHP — roughly $115 to $470 for individuals and $390 to $850 for a family of four. AHP (Annual Household Portion) options are $3,000, $6,000, $9,000, or $12,000 — there is no annual or lifetime sharing cap. Requires a Trinitarian statement of faith and active church involvement. Pre-existing conditions are not shared for the first 36 months; after 36 months shared up to $100,000/member/year, and after 60 months up to $500,000/member/year. Uses the PHCS and First Health PPO networks (900,000+ providers). Includes telehealth and TeleBehavioral health, maternity coverage ($125K cap per pregnancy), preventive, emergency, and surgery. Ongoing prescription maintenance drugs are not shared; new acute condition prescriptions covered up to 6 months.
Sedera
No faith requirement
Sedera is a secular health sharing option founded in 2014, headquartered in Austin, TX, with 50,000+ members. Monthly contributions run about $153 to $742 for individuals and $378 to $2,088 for families across ages and IUA tiers (most working-age members pay $153-$438 individual; the 60-64 band runs higher); final cost is quote-based. Unlimited sharing cap, no faith requirement. Covers telehealth, prescriptions, maternity, mental health, preventive, emergency, and surgery with flexible provider choice.
CHM (Christian Healthcare Ministries)
Active Christian required
CHM (Christian Healthcare Ministries) is the most affordable health sharing ministry, founded in 1981, with 300,000+ members based in Barberton, OH. Monthly contributions start at $115 for individuals and $345 for families, with a $125,000 per-illness sharing cap. The optional CHM Plus add-on ($42/unit/month) extends coverage to $1M per illness (Silver/Bronze) or unlimited (Gold). Strict Christian faith requirement including church attendance. Pre-existing conditions are no longer pre-existing after 12 months symptom/treatment-free (cancer requires 5 years cancer-free). Covers maternity, preventive, emergency, and surgery with any doctor — no network.
Samaritan Ministries
Active Christian required
Samaritan Ministries is an established health sharing ministry founded in 1994, based in Lancaster, PA, with 250,000+ members. Monthly costs range from $199-$365 for individuals and $620-$715 for 2-person households (Aug 2025 Classic rates, by age band), with a $250,000 per-need cap (Classic). Requires strict Christian faith and church attendance. Pre-existing conditions share at 50% for the first year; cancer, heart, and hereditary conditions require 5 years symptom-free; type-1 diabetes is permanently excluded.
Knew Health
No faith requirement
Knew Health is a secular medical cost-sharing community founded in 2017, headquartered in Darien, IL, with 30,000+ members. Membership starts around $142/month for individuals, with exact rates set by age, household size, and chosen IUA ($1,000, $2,500, or $5,000). It has no annual or lifetime sharing cap for new eligible needs, and members are never responsible for more than three IUAs in a membership year. No faith requirement. Covers 24/7 telehealth, mental health, maternity (for pregnancies starting 90+ days after joining, with a due date one year or more out; note: maternity beginning Jan 1 2026 requires a $5,000 IUA), preventive/wellness care, emergency, and surgery; prescriptions are shareable for the first 120 days of a new eligible need. Any doctor — no network restriction. Pre-existing conditions are not shared in year 1, limited years 2-4, and from year 4 are shared but permanently capped at $125,000 per 12-month rolling period.
HSA Secure
No faith requirement
HSA Secure is the only health sharing plan designed specifically for HSA compatibility. It is powered by Zion HealthShare — a secular community founded in 2019 with 75,000+ members — and pairs Zion's health sharing with a MEC (minimum essential coverage) preventive insurance policy. This unique structure lets members contribute pre-tax dollars to an HSA while keeping monthly contributions affordable (from $114/month for individuals). The plan covers preventive care, telehealth, prescriptions, maternity (after 6-month wait), emergency, and surgery. There are no network restrictions, no annual or lifetime sharing caps, and no faith requirement. IUA tiers are $1,250, $2,500, or $5,000 (the $1,000 tier was retired January 1, 2026). The main trade-offs: mental health is not directly shareable, and pre-existing conditions follow a phased sharing schedule (nothing shared months 1-12, up to $25,000/yr months 13-24, up to $50,000/yr months 25-35, up to $125,000/yr from month 36).
Common Questions — California
Is health sharing legal in California?
Health sharing ministries can legally operate in California and accept CA members. However, they do not satisfy California's individual mandate requirement. Residents who choose health sharing over ACA-compliant coverage may owe a state penalty at tax time.
What is the California mandate penalty?
The penalty is the greater of 2.5% of household income above the filing threshold, or $900 per adult ($450 per dependent child), whichever is higher. For a single person earning $80,000, this works out to approximately $1,600 per year. The penalty applies for each month you lack qualifying coverage.
Does health sharing satisfy the California mandate?
No. Health sharing plans are generally not considered minimum essential coverage under California law and do not satisfy the individual mandate. Plan to include the penalty in your cost analysis if you are considering health sharing.
Is CrowdHealth available in California?
No. CrowdHealth explicitly excludes California residents from enrollment. Other plans — Zion HealthShare, CHM, Medi-Share, Sedera, and Samaritan Ministries — are available to CA members.
Should I check Covered California first?
Yes, especially if your income is below 400% of the federal poverty level (~$62,000 for a single adult in 2026). Covered California subsidies can significantly reduce your ACA premium, and you avoid the mandate penalty entirely. If you earn too much for subsidies, compare the after-penalty health sharing cost against full-price ACA.
Find the Right Plan for California
Our quiz factors in state availability and budget. For California residents, make sure you have checked Covered California subsidies and understand the mandate penalty before enrolling.
Our top pick
Zion HealthShare
from $114/mo · ★ 4.8
Our highest-rated plan (4.8/5): no faith requirement, HSA-compatible, broad coverage, and managed conditions shared from day one.
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