Skip to content
healthcare questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FAQs

Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.  To get answers to the rest of your questions, visit our Help Center or read our Membership Guidelines.

Is impact health sharing insurance? No, Impact Health Sharing is not insurance. Healthcare sharing is a voluntary sharing arrangement that brings together individuals and families in the Impact community in voluntary acts of common good, consistent with our community’s statement of shared
beliefs.
What's the difference between healthcare sharing and health insurance? Insurance is a contract between a policyholder and a for-profit insurance company. You contract to pay expensive insurance premiums in exchange for their promise to pay your medical bills. Healthcare sharing is a voluntary, not-for-profit concept where millions of Americans connect through technology to share and pay each other’s medical bills. There is no contract, no guarantee, and no promise to pay. In the early 80s, Americans began to turn to healthcare sharing as an alternative to the high cost of insurance. Today, it has grown into an industry that shares approximately $3 billion per year.
Is Impact Health Sharing a medishare plan? Impact Health Sharing is a healthcare sharing program sometimes referred to as medical sharing or a medishare plan. Impact Health Sharing is an alternative to health insurance where like-minded individuals share in each other’s medical bills. Bills are shared directly between members through individual bank accounts through a concept called distributed reserves.
Who is eligible for Impact membership?

Our membership is made up of like-minded individuals, families, and small businesses who agree with the Statement of Shared Beliefs & Ethics. There are no restrictions based on race, color, religion, or creed.

Can I join anytime or is there an enrollment period?

There is no limit on when you can apply. You can choose which month you want your membership to begin.

How much does it cost?

The monthly cost is based on the age of the oldest person in your household, the number of people applying, and the Primary Responsibility Amount that you choose.

Visit https://www.impacthealthsharing.com/pricing to see your options.

There are dramatic savings over ACA Plans (Obamacare) and greater value than other health sharing programs. Prices start at $73/mo. for singles and $378/mo. for families.

What about prescriptions?

See the Guidelines for complete details.

Prescription medication expenses may be credited toward the PRA if they are not considered treatment for chronic conditions that were preexisting when the member joined Impact.

After the member’s PRA has been met, the prescription amount may be shared as follows:

  • After the first $25 on generic drug prescription.
  • After the first $50 on brand name prescription when a generic is unavailable.
  • Prescription medications must be purchased using the member ID card (see Rx information on the card).
  • Members pay 100% of the prescription amount at the pharmacy.
  • Prescription drugs that may be dispensed, injected, or administered.
     

Psychotropic medication and birth control expenses are not eligible for sharing.

The sharable amount is limited to $1200 per member, per membership year after the PRA has been met. For more info. on how it works click here. 

Do you accept people with preexisting conditions?

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions are conditions in which known signs, symptoms, testing, diagnosis, treatment, or use of medication occurred within 36 months prior to membership (based on medical records). A known sign is any abnormality indicative of disease, discovered on examination/diagnostic testing before joining membership. A symptom is any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. A Pre-Existing Medical Condition is eligible for sharing after the condition has gone 36 consecutive months
without known signs, symptoms, testing, diagnosis, treatment, or medication (based on medical records). If you have been diagnosed with cancer that is in complete remission, and you are only undergoing testing for surveillance purposes, then bills related to
those services will not be eligible for sharing for the first 36 months of membership. If after 36 months you are without signs, symptoms, testing (other than surveillance testing), diagnosis, or treatment (medication), medical expenses related to that cancer diagnosis will be eligible for sharing. High blood pressure or high cholesterol that is controlled through medication will not be considered a Pre-Existing Medical Condition for purposes of determining eligibility for future vascular or cardiac events. The Pre-Existing Medical Condition limitations do not apply to members 65 years old and older. 



Take our quick and easy quiz to understand your pre-existing conditions and their impact on your membership. 

https://www.impacthealthsharing.com/prex

WHAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR SHARING? To see a complete list of our Guidelines, click here.
What should I do when I need to go to the doctor?

Watch this video for information on using Impact at any provider, and read through these simple steps.

When you need to go to the doctor, using your Impact Health Sharing membership is easy.

 To see details click here.

Is there a deductible?

Since Impact Health Sharing isn't insurance, there isn't a per person deductible; rather there is a Primary Responsibility Amount (PRA) per household.

The PRA is the annual household amount that you pay, before your eligible medical bills are published for sharing.

There are five options to choose from: $1,000 (65 years and older only), $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000.

Is there a co-share?

Once the Primary Responsibility Amount is met, the member pays 10% (the Co-Share amount) of all eligible medical bills.

The remaining 90% is published for sharing to the Impact membership.

There is a Co-Share limit of $5,000 per year, per household. In other words, after a member pays a total of $5,000 in Co-Shares, they will not be subject to a Co-Share until the amount resets on their Membership Date.

Is there an office provider fee?

A provider fee is the amount paid by the member to the medical provider for each visit.

The provider fee is not eligible to be applied to the PRA and is paid even after the PRA is met.

The provider fee is:

  • $0 for Telehealth
  • $50 for each primary care visit
  • $75 per specialist visit or outpatient services
  • $100 for urgent care
  • $150 for Emergency Room or inpatient hospitalization.
  • $0 for Impact Seniors
What about preventative care?

One annual/well visit per membership year.

Includes $150 allowance for routine labs.

Impact follows the American Cancer Society recommendations when it comes to sharing in preventative care, which includes the following:

  • Women:
    Pap test – once every three years from 21-65 yrs.
    Mammogram – Age 45-54 yearly, every two years starting at age 55.
  • Men:
    PSA test – one every year, starting at age 45.
  • All: Colonoscopy – one every 10 years starting at age 50, or one every five years for members at high risk.
If I am 65 years old or older, how does Impact work with Medicare?

Impact for Seniors simplifies the healthcare experience.

  • No Provider fees.
  • No Co-share.
  • No Pre-existing limitations.

 Here are a few things to know:

1.If you are 65 or older, you are required to have Medicare Parts A & B to join Impact.

2. Impact is always secondary to Medicare Parts A & B. One great thing about this is that there are no preexisting condition restrictions or provider fees for Impact members with Medicare. 

3. You are welcome to use your member card to access the pass-through direct pricing on prescriptions. One thing to note, for prescription costs to be eligible for sharing, members must have Medicare Part D as well.

4. All sharing will be secondary to Medicare. There is only one PRA level available to these senior adults (see pricing calculator at https://www.impacthealthsharing.com/pricing). This program is available only on an individual membership basis.

5. The PRA for senior adults is $1000 with no provider fees, no co-share, and no preexisting limitations.

CAN I USE MY OWN DOCTOR?

Impact does not use a Provider Network; therefore; you can continue to use the doctors and hospitals of your choice, including specialists.

Watch this video for more information on how to use Impact Health Sharing at any provider.

DOES IMPACT MEET THE STANDARD FOR MEC?

The ACA requires employers to offer MEC (Minimum Essential Coverage) to their employees if they have at least 50 full-time employees; this is known as the "employer mandate" and remains in effect today.


As a healthcare sharing organization, Impact DOES NOT meet the standard for MEC (Minimum Essential Coverage).

 

Therefore, organizations with 50 or more employees offering Impact Health Sharing must also offer a MEC program alongside Impact.

How does the ACA affect Impact?

IMPACT’S STATEMENT REGARDING ACA COMPLIANCE FOR HEALTHCARE SHARING ORGANIZATIONS. Read Here.

healthcare questions

LET'S IMPACT YOUR FAMILY'S HEALTH TOGETHER

By joining Impact you can be part of a caring community while saving your family money.  It's time to take control of your healthcare!
ENROLL NOW