ACA premiums to rise 30 percent: Health Care Sharing Ministries offer a lifeline amid soaring costs
As inflation, record insurance rate hikes squeeze families, the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries says faith-based sharing offers affordable, values-driven care
WASHINGTON — As Americans brace for a 30 percent surge in Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance premiums next year — the steepest annual increase in recent memory — Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (Alliance) leaders say the news underscores the growing need for faith-based alternatives that help families stay healthy, solvent, and free from bureaucracy.
Recent reporting from KFF Health News, The Washington Post, and Insurance Business Magazine confirms that roughly 17 million Americans who buy coverage on Healthcare.gov will see premium hikes averaging 30 percent beginning in 2026. Analysts warn that without continued pandemic-era subsidies, many households could see their premiums double or even triple.
“The Alliance has long advocated for negotiating better prices and having more transparency in health costs of all kinds, from drug prices to medical treatments to hospital stays,” said Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries. “Non-insurance options such as Health Care Sharing Ministries may be one of the only ways to buck the trend of skyrocketing costs of health care.
“Leveraging the power of the cash-pay economy, as well as the community connections and mutual accountability to live in a healthy way, is not only good stewardship, but also consistent with Christian beliefs.”
The dramatic premium increase arrives amid lingering inflation and partisan gridlock over how to contain health care costs. Congress remains divided: Democrats push to extend COVID-era expanded ACA subsidies, while Republicans argue such subsidies were always meant to be temporary. Meanwhile, middle-income Americans — too prosperous to qualify for expanded assistance but unable to absorb the rate hikes — face excruciating financial choices.
“Families are caught in a perfect storm of inflation, medical debt, and shrinking options,” said Talento. “Health Care Sharing Ministries demonstrate that a community of believers can stand together, care for one another and avoid being trapped in a costly and impersonal system.”
Members of Health Care Sharing Ministries — nonprofit, faith-based communities that share one another’s medical needs — have existed for decades, long before the ACA, and say their approach provides both spiritual and financial relief. Participants contribute monthly “shares” to assist others’ eligible medical expenses and, in turn, have their own needs supported when they arise.
According to the Alliance, members enjoy advantages such as:
- Community support and accountability that encourages healthy living consistent with faith principles
- Transparency in pricing, as members or their ministries often negotiate directly with providers
- Lower monthly costs compared to insurance carriers’ premiums
“When the federal government or insurance carriers announce yet another double-digit rate increase, Americans need to know that a faithful, ethical alternative exists,” said Talento. “Health Care Sharing Ministries are not insurance, but they represent a return to stewardship, generosity and wise financial management in health care.”
The latest ACA premium spike continues a decade-long trend of rising costs that have far outpaced wage growth. These premium increases are just creating an opportunity for more Americans to discover what hundreds of thousands of other people have already discovered, which is the non-insurance option, Health Care Sharing Ministries. The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries reports a steady uptick in Americans exploring health care sharing options, particularly among Christian families and self-employed individuals who value autonomy and transparency.
“As prices rise, more Americans are turning toward health care models that reflect their values and give them control,” said Talento. “This is not just a financial decision — it’s a moral and spiritual one, rooted in how we care for one another as believers.”
Talento added that while insurance carriers grapple with inflation, regulatory complexity and profit pressures, Health Care Sharing Ministries rely on a simpler model of mutual aid: Members directly share funds for eligible medical bills, guided by their commitment to Christian compassion.
“The system is broken when premiums rise faster than paychecks and when government policy punishes personal responsibility,” said Talento. “Lawmakers should focus on empowering Americans with real choices — including Health Care Sharing Ministries — that reward stewardship and transparency rather than propping up a failing status quo.”
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministries, which facilitate the sharing of health care needs — financial, emotional and spiritual — by individuals and families. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on health care sharing.
To learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or X.
