April 23, 2020
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler today ordered Alliance for Shared Health, Inc., to immediately stop selling insurance illegally and to stop acting as a health care service contractor in Washington state.
Alliance for Shared Health markets itself as a health care sharing ministry but fails to meet the legal definition under state law. It sold 12 health plans to over 1,400 people in the state who paid over $237,000 in premiums. Four of its members filed complaints with Kreidler’s office about issues including unpaid medical claims, repeated failed attempts to cancel plans and not being able to reach the company.
“We have heard time and time again from consumers who they think they are buying legitimate health insurance from these unlicensed companies,” said Kreidler. “In this case, not only did they dupe consumers, but then they kept taking people’s money when they tried to cancel.”
A legitimate health care sharing ministry is a nonprofit organization whose members have shared a common set of ethical or religious beliefs since 1999 and share medical expenses consistent with those beliefs. But these ministries typically provide limited coverage and exclude pre-existing medical conditions.
Alliance for Shared Health members in Washington state are eligible for a special enrollment through the Health Benefit Exchange.
People in Washington state who have trouble with their health insurance can file a complaint with us.