July 20, 2026
Obese Obamacare costs, tricky hospitals hiding their pricing, lead the search for alternatives
Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries advocates for cost-effective alternatives to the ACA marketplace and obfuscatory hospital pricing
WASHINGTON — The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries today said growing concerns about Affordable Care Act marketplace affordability and ongoing hospital price transparency issues underscore the value of Health Care Sharing Ministries as millions of Americans seek lower medical costs and greater financial certainty.
Recent analyses of preliminary 2027 marketplace filings found insurers in 16 states and the District of Columbia requested a median premium increase of 14%. This news comes on the heels of the double-digit increases experienced in most states just six months ago. Insurers attributed roughly four percentage points of those increases to the expiration of enhanced premium state subsidies and the departure of healthier consumers from marketplace plans. Analysts also reported that enrollment declined by about 3 million people from the previous year.
According to the Alliance, Americans facing rising premiums are increasingly turning to Health Care Sharing Ministries, which emphasize transparent pricing, direct negotiation of medical costs, and community-based sharing of eligible medical expenses.
Even as the No Surprises Act protects patients from many unexpected out-of-network medical bills, the Alliance said many hospitals remain out of compliance with the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule, limiting consumers’ ability to compare prices before receiving care.
“Families are looking for health care solutions that respect both their budgets and their values,” said Randall Hultgren, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries. “Health Care Sharing Ministries empower members to pursue transparent pricing, negotiate medical costs and participate in a community that shares eligible medical expenses. That combination is becoming increasingly important as affordability challenges continue to grow.”
Since 2019, billions of dollars in medical expenses have been shared among members of Health Care Sharing Ministries in all 50 states, according to the Alliance. The organization said its member ministries continue to demonstrate that transparent pricing and responsible stewardship can help families manage rising health care costs while preserving financial stability and personal choice.
“Consumers deserve clear prices before care is delivered and meaningful choices when evaluating how to manage medical expenses,” Hultgren said. “Health Care Sharing Ministries provide an option that encourages transparency, accountability and informed decision-making at a time when many Americans are questioning whether the current system is meeting their needs.”
The Alliance encourages policymakers, health care providers and consumers to continue supporting federal and state-based transparency initiatives that make pricing information readily available and promote informed decisions about medical services.
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 and their participants. 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 Twitter.
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To interview a representative from the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
