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Membership

What is Knew Health?

Knew Health is not health insurance, but rather an affordable membership-based alternative healthcare solution also known as health sharing. Becoming a member of the Knew Health Community means joining like-minded individuals who are proactive about their wellness and looking for a better way to manage healthcare costs. Our Membership acts like a hub, connecting you with trusted services that help you save on all aspects of healthcare, especially general health and wellness costs. Knew Health Memberships are also designed to reduce the individual financial impact of medical expenses that result from illnesses, injuries, and pregnancies for its members.

What is medical health sharing?
Medical Health Sharing is an arrangement whereby members agree to share medical expenses through voluntary giving. It is made up of like-minded individuals who all agree on the standards outlined in the Membership Guidelines. Health sharing is NOT insurance or registered by any insurance. It does not assess applicants’ health risks because the Community is not assuming financial risk or liability.
Is medical health sharing a new approach?
No, Medical Health Sharing traces its origins back many years to the Amish and Mennonite communities. It began expanding in the 1980s with the advent of large, Christian-based health care sharing ministries.

The concept has since evolved since then, but the purpose remains the same: for the Community to help relieve the burden on the individual in their time of need.

Why do Knew Health Members have peace of mind?
There are many reasons that Knew Health provides peace of mind in Members’ healthcare journeys. Spending less on healthcare is at the top of the list. The simplicity that comes with the Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) model helps make healthcare costs more transparent. Having the freedom to see any provider they choose, especially when the unexpected in life happens, is something that is found nowhere else in healthcare. 

Getting Started

Why do Members join Knew Health?
A Knew Health membership means healthcare freedom, savings, and peace of mind. Members join for different reasons and points in their healthcare journey. We recommend scheduling a call with our Care Team to understand what we offer and how that is essential to you and your family. 
How much does Knew Health cost?
The cost of membership is based on a member’s age, household size, selected Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA), and tobacco use status. Most of our Members will reduce their healthcare costs by about 50% (link to how knew Health negotiates) compared to other healthcare options. Request Pricing
How can I sign up?
Our online sign-up is a quick and simple process. To become a Member, complete the online forms HERE. Membership is month-to-month and will start on the 1st day of the month following sign up. If you would like to request a later start date, email [email protected].

Membership

How does a Knew Health membership help save money on healthcare?

Knew Health is a different way of approaching healthcare that starts with our monthly contribution, which can be 20-50% less than traditional options. Our Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) model is designed to keep out-of-pocket costs lower than the typical methods, resulting in more savings when we need it most. Lastly, our Members can access many no-cost general wellness services to stay on top of their health. Many of these services are simply not supported by the standard healthcare system. 

Will my rates increase every year?
The Knew Health Community has a responsibility to one another to share in medical expenses equitably and fairly, as well as to ensure that we are obtaining reasonable rates for care. Our Team’s expertise and our Members’ dedication to obtaining fair rates for care is the reason that the Knew Health Community has not needed to increase monthly contributions in five years. We prioritize maintaining monthly contribution rates for as long as we can to ensure Members have consistency and continuity.
What is healthcare freedom as a Knew Health Member?

It means being able to make your own healthcare choices without network restrictions and having more flexibility with the types of healthcare expenses that can be shared.

How does the Knew Health Community manage large medical expenses?

Knew Health is a community of thousands of individuals and families who benefit from the power of sharing in one another’s medical burdens. Our Care Team works with Members to negotiate and attain fair pricing for medical services. As direct and self-pay (link self-pay blog) patients, our members experience bill reduction of 50%+ on average. 

Our community is there to support fellow Members when they need it the most, and that is why there are no sharing caps or limits on how much is available to share for larger medical expenses(link to “how knew health manages larger medical expenses).

How does Knew Health negotiate medical bills?

We will use several methods to help our members attain fair costs for healthcare services. 

  • Request self-pay– Our members always present as self-pay and request any discounts that are available
  • Prompt pay– We ask our members to facilitate payment directly to the provider as quickly as possible to ensure any prompt payment discounts are applied.
  • Negotiation– Our thorough negotiation process can often lower bills that are not paid in advance and are at least $1,000.
  • Packaged discounts– For services like recovery care, maternity, or surgical needs offering to pay for services in advance as a package to reduce bills significantly. We encourage and help members to ask the right questions to see if this option is available. 
Am I legally required to have health insurance?
While there are requirements for health insurance, the tax penalty for not having health insurance is no longer enforced on the federal level. It is important to note that some states have their own requirements for health insurance. A Knew Health membership does not satisfy any federal or state requirement for health insurance and members may face a tax penalty in select states. 
What is an IUA?

The initial unshareable amount, or IUA, is the amount a member will pay before the Knew Health Community shares in eligible medical expenses related to a unique Need. The IUA is also known as your personal responsibility that you will pay before sharing can begin for a Need.

Knew Health has three primary levels of personal responsibility: $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000. The lower your personal responsibility (or IUA), the higher your monthly contribution will be.

All qualifying medical expenses submitted after the IUA is met for a Need are shareable with the Knew Health Community. There is no annual or lifetime limit. You will not need to pay the IUA for a single Need again until you are symptom-free for 12 months. Additionally, you will not be responsible for more than three IUAs in a Membership Year.

General wellness services do not require members to meet an IUA first and are immediately shareable without waiting periods.

Medical Needs

What is a Need?
When Members incur medical expenses, there is a medical Need. The Need is a medical event (like an injury or illness or pregnancy) and the related expenses, whether one or multiple bills. Members send proof of their medical expenses through our online Member Portal. The related expenses are evaluated according to the Membership Guidelines for eligibility.
What expenses are eligible for sharing with the community?
Generally, medical events exceeding a member’s Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) (Link to what is an IUA) related to a new injury, illness, or pregnancy are eligible for sharing. Sharing is not immediately available for conditions that existed before a Knew Health Membership is active. Knew Health also provides sharing and allowances for general wellness services without Members needing to meet their IUA. 
Are there any caps or maximums to how much the community will share for medical expenses?

There are no sharing limits per Membership or per lifetime of Membership, but, to safeguard the Community while still supporting one another, no single Need may consume more the 10% of available contributions a calendar year. The Knew Health Community has proudly shared in 100% of eligible Needs to date.

You can see all of our Guides for sharing here:

Member Guidelines, Surgery Guide, General Wellness Guide

Are pre-existing conditions eligible for sharing?

Conditions that exist prior to a Knew Health Membership being active are subject to limitations in the first year of Membership and then follow a phase-in period after that. See the Member Guidelines “Pre-existing condition phase-in period for details.

* If you would like to discuss your personal pre-existing condition sharing options, please contact our Member Care Team

Are maternity costs eligible for sharing?

For a pregnancy that begins prior to a Membership Effective date or with an estimated date of delivery that falls within the first year of Membership, pregnancy is treated as a pre-existing condition, and costs are not shared. Maternity Needs with an estimated date of delivery that falls after one year of Membership are shared like any other Need. This includes prenatal care, delivery, postnatal care, and complications.

What about costs that occur abroad?

As long as the medical Need meets the Member Guidelines for sharing, these costs can be shared, no matter where they happen. Please note that non-emergent medical care that occurs abroad is not shareable.

What is considered tobacco usage for surcharge purposes?

Any Members that have used cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, vape products, smoke cannabis, and pipe tobacco one or more times a month within the past year will be considered tobacco users.

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