The COVID-19 pandemic arrived suddenly, and has proved challenging for many. Rare are the people that haven’t been affected by it in one way or another, or that haven’t been forced to change their routine. Life is full of surprises that are difficult to plan for. That’s why it’s important to have something to fall back on when life throws you a curveball. 

Because this situation is so all-encompassing and important, health shares have been forced to adapt.

This article provides an in-depth review of how certain health shares have handled COVID-19.

1. Zion HealthShare

Zion HealthShare reassures its members that the company is doing well financially and bound to continue sharing medical expenses between its members. The company says only 10% of the monthly contributions are used for administrative costs, and the other 90% are used to share in the community’s medical expenses. Zion HealthShare has affirmed that they are confident that the community will be able to share current and ongoing medical costs.

Zion HealthShare has revealed that they have established a special COVID-19 Sharing Relief Program for its members. New members get 50% off their costs of membership for the first three months by using the code ‘’COVID19’’, and current members who have been financially affected by COVID-19 can request 50% off for one month by contacting Zion HealthShare.

If you want to find out more about Coronavirus, you can read the message of Jeff Lee, the MD of Zion HealthShare here.

2. Altrua HealthShare

Altrua HealthShare hasn’t made their response readily available regarding COVID-19 or how they’re handling it. However, they have provided some information regarding COVID-19, including tips on what you can do to prevent it, and a list of the most common symptoms. You can read them here.

3. Samaritan Ministries

Samaritan Ministries has a page about COVID-19 you can access by clicking here.

The first piece of advice Samaritan Ministries offer is to place your trust in Christ, and choose perseverance and faith over fear and anxiety. Members are informed that the Ministry is well-prepared for a partial or full quarantine situation and that it has an emergency plan if such a need arises. They are also taking measures to minimize the risks of spreading COVID-19 and to keep their staff healthy.

Samaritan will share in expenses related to tests and treatments for COVID-19 like they do for any other symptom-related illness. Tests, labs, emergency room, hospital, antibiotics and so on can all be submitted for sharing.

Samaritan provide some links and useful info from the CDC and advise their members to stay home and contact their healthcare provider if they suspect they might have COVID-19. Only if severe symptoms occur should the members contact their healthcare provider or emergency room and seek care immediately. They also direct their members to frequent local and state government websites for more information.

Samaritan advises their members to pray, seek medical care if they need it, contact them through email, utilize the member dashboard, to make sure their email address is accurate and up to date, and to be patient.

Members that cannot afford their Share are advised to join the Samaritan Sponsorship program, and members that are feeling generous are encouraged to donate to the Disaster Relief – Power to Act Fund.

4. Solidarity HealthShare

 Solidarity HealthShare has provided their Coronavirus statements in their blog entries.

Solidarity has also transitioned its staff to work at home to curb the spread of Coronavirus. They vow to continue taking calls, process medical bills, and attend to members’ medical needs.

Solidarity is handling the situation by prioritizing the most urgent needs. They advise their members to send an email rather than calling if their needs aren’t urgent. They have provided the following email addresses and a phone number for members to contact them:

It is important to note that any medically necessary care related to infectious disease (including COVID-19) is eligible for sharing.

Solidarity HealthShare also offers a telemedicine program called DialCare. This service provides clinical advice over the phone and offers screening services for COVID-19. To register and book an appointment, you need to visit www.solidaritycarecard.com or call 1-833-795-7781.

Check here for some tips on Coronavirus, and here if you want to find out more about DialCare.

5. Liberty HealthShare

By visiting Liberty HealthShare’s website, you can easily access their COVID-19 part of the site–simply click on the red banner and you’re good to go.

Liberty HealthShare say they are well prepared to both ensure business continuity and protect the wellbeing of their members and employees. For Christians struggling to deal with the current situation, Liberty HealthShare has provided an action plan written by Pastor Wes Humble.

You can read about the plan here.

Liberty reassures its members that their offices remain in operation, although with some changes to the usual schedule, which is to be expected in these circumstances. The offices are closed on Fridays to help protect the health and safety of their employees. In exchange, the offices work longer from Monday to Thursday—from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm EST. As a precautionary measure, some of their staff are working remotely for the time being.

The Ministry will continue to facilitate the sharing of eligible medical expenses nonetheless. The Ministry has also asked their members not to call or email them unless their needs are immediate.

As a relief to many, COVID-19 testing and treatment are shareable with a Liberty HealthShare membership. This includes testing, labs, emergency room, hospital, etc.

Finally, Liberty HealthShare provided some general tips, factual information, and resources related to COVID-19. You can find them on this site.

6. Christian Healthcare Ministries

CHM has informed its members that testing and treatment for COVID-19 is shared, just like the testing and treatment of other confirmed illnesses. Bear in mind that Personal Responsibility amounts depend on the member’s participation level. Participation levels are the membership programs that you can sign up for—Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each with the Brother’s Keeper upgrade available.


The Personal Responsibility amounts can be reduced based on discounts that are arranged with providers.

On March 20th, CHM decided to undergo two weeks of off-site operations, in order to respect the social distancing recommendations and protect its workers. The company continued to share medical bills but minimized human contact.

On the CHM website, you should see a banner that will take you to the COVID-19 segment of the site. If you wish to check for updates, watch helpful videos, and read some advice about how to prevent COVID-19 or behave if you get it, then you should definitely check it out.

7. OneShare Health

OneShare provides some advice on how to behave during the pandemic and what to do to minimize the chances of getting Coronavirus. Members that are feeling unwell are encouraged to call the telemedicine number, which is provided on the members’ ID card. All members have access to telemedicine, which is free and available 24/7. These are the numbers provided (taken from the website):

DialCare is available for members by calling 833-387-9603 or Downloading  the App Today.

For Massachusetts Residents please call Teladoc at 855-847-3627.

OneShare has also sent their members an e-mail regarding Coronavirus. In this email, they expressed how they care about the health of their members and employees, and that there will be no interruption to sharing. They will treat Coronavirus as an acute illness and a program visit fee will apply.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example of how important it is to make the right choices regarding one’s health. Don’t forget to stay informed and check your health share’s updates as the situation progresses. Remember to stay safe and keep others safe by not leaving your house unnecessarily and by washing your hands often. These might be dire times, but by coming together as a community, we can get through this together.