Sedera Health Share: How It Works
Sedera is a medical cost sharing community: members contribute a monthly amount, and eligible large medical bills above each member's Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) can be shared among the community. It is not insurance, and sharing is not guaranteed. Paired with Akos MD virtual primary care, plans cost from $167.52 a month (see full prices).
Written and reviewed by Graham Kerswell, Founder of Beacon Health Benefits.
What is Sedera?
Sedera describes itself as a medical cost sharing community, operated as a benevolence fund of Covenant HealthShare, Inc., based in Austin, Texas. Its own guidelines state that Sedera “is not an insurance company nor is it insurance” (read our in-depth explanation: Is Sedera Insurance?). Members agree to 10 ethical principles (mutual support, healthy living, no illegal drugs), but there is no religious requirement. For an independent analysis of its strengths, drawbacks, and reputation, read our comprehensive Sedera Review.
Operating under SELECT+ Membership Guidelines, version 231001.
How Does Sedera Sharing Work?
Choose Your IUA
Select an IUA of $500, $1,000, $1,500, $2,500, or $5,000 (see our IUA selection guide). Higher IUAs result in lower monthly amounts.
A Need Occurs
An unexpected illness, fracture, surgery, or hospital event occurs. Each separate incident is designated a “Need.”
Self-Pay Up to IUA
You present as a self-pay patient and pay up to your agreed IUA directly to medical providers.
Open Needs Case
Log into the Member Portal and upload itemized medical bills within 6 months of the incident.
Negotiate & Share
Sedera negotiates bills over $1,000. Remaining eligible amounts are disbursed to your account to settle balances.
1. The IUA applies per Need, not once per calendar year.
2. No more than three IUAs apply per household within any single membership year. A fourth Need in that year has an effective $0 IUA. (Review full worked examples in our worst-case year cost calculations).
What Does Sedera Share, and What Doesn't It?
Reviewing the core boundaries established in the published guidelines.
- •Emergency room visits, hospitalizations, inpatient surgeries
- •Cancer care, oncology treatments, severe traumatic injury
- •Maternity care, provided your due date is 9+ months after joining
- •Screening colonoscopies and mammograms after 6 months of membership ($0 IUA)
- •No provider network restrictions and no lifetime maximum
- •Routine checkups, physicals, vaccines (handled by DPC)
- •Ongoing maintenance medications (new diagnoses limited to first 120 days)
- •Routine dental, vision, elective surgery, fertility care
- •Outpatient counseling and therapy (capped at $750/year)
- •Pre-existing conditions in year one (3-year phase-in applies)
Pre-Existing Conditions
Anyone can join. A condition with symptoms, testing, treatment, or prescriptions in the 36 months prior to enrollment is considered pre-existing. Sharing phases in on the following timeline:
| Membership Timeline | Sharing Limit for Pre-Existing Conditions |
|---|---|
| Months 1–12 (Year 1) | Not shared ($0 eligible) |
| Months 13–24 (Year 2) | Up to $25,000 per Need |
| Months 25–36 (Year 3) | Up to $50,000 per Need |
| Month 37+ (Year 4 onwards) | Fully shareable under standard guidelines |
If you need treatment for an ongoing condition this year, an ACA Marketplace plan is likely the better fit. Marketplace plans cannot deny or surcharge for pre-existing conditions.
✓ Who Sedera May Fit
- • Mostly healthy individuals, families, and early retirees (ages 18–64)
- • Self-employed professionals, 1099 contractors, or small business owners
- • Households paying full unsubsidized retail premiums for ACA insurance
- • Anyone financially prepared to cover one IUA out-of-pocket if an incident occurs
✕ Who Should Probably Skip
- • Anyone requiring contractually guaranteed claim payment
- • Individuals needing immediate specialized care for an existing condition
- • Anyone expecting a pregnancy within the next ~9 months
- • Residents of MA, NJ, RI, or DC (where health sharing does not satisfy state mandates)
- • Adults 65 and older without Medicare Parts A and B
Full price schedule, worked examples, worst-case years, and IUA math.
Is Sedera Insurance? →What non-insurance means in practice, legal rights, and state mandates.
Sedera Review 2026 →Independent pros, cons, track record, competitor matrix, and verdict.
Member Help & Login →Member portal access, support phone lines, and filing a Need.
Common Questions
Is Sedera insurance?▼
Is Sedera legit?
Is the IUA a deductible?
How do I log in or submit a bill?
See what Sedera plus DPC would cost your household.
Get an exact monthly figure with no obligation, or call our Mooresville, NC office directly at (704) 255-4580.
Statutory Legal Notices:
Health care sharing ministries and medical cost-sharing communities are not insurance and are not regulated as insurance. Sharing of medical expenses is voluntary and not guaranteed. Review each organization's guidelines for details, limitations, and state-specific notices.
We may receive compensation from some organizations we recommend. This does not change our evaluation of how they work.
THIS PLAN IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance.
This page is general information, not medical, legal, or tax advice. Prices are set by the programs and can change.