Both Samaritan and Liberty are long-standing ministries with direct-sharing roots, but the last decade treated them very differently. Samaritan quietly refined a pure member-to-member model and published clear per-need caps. Liberty scaled fast, hit well-publicized sharing backlogs, and is now rebuilding trust with two consecutive years of share reductions and $2 million returned to members in 2026. This comparison is as much about institutional character as it is about price.
| Samaritan Ministries | Liberty HealthShare | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Peoria, IL | Canton, OH |
| Monthly price range | $210–$925/mo (Classic, by household size and age) | $87–$362/mo individuals; families from $319 (2026) |
| Initial unshared amount | Initial Unscheduled Amount (IUA) per need — commonly $1,000–$2,000 by program, plus co-share on some programs | — |
| Per-need sharing limit | Classic: $500,000 per need; Basic: $497,500 (Sept 2026 guidelines) | Up to $300,000 for unexpected eligible expenses (Freedom, under-35 program) |
| Programs | Basic, Classic, Secure, Elevate | Freedom (under 35), and other program tiers |
| Faith requirements | Statement of faith and church involvement requirements | Statement of faith |
Data verified as of September 2026. Confirm current pricing and guidelines with each ministry directly.
Full Samaritan Ministries profile · Full Liberty HealthShare profile
How the models differ
Samaritan’s $500,000 Classic per-need cap (September 2026 guidelines) and its direct household-to-household flow mean your protection and your participation are both clearly defined. Liberty’s current pricing — $87–$362 for individuals, families from $319 — undercuts most of the market, and its return-of-funds announcements are the right direction. But a sharing ministry’s core promise is that submitted bills get paid promptly; Samaritan’s record on that is the steadier of the two, and Liberty’s own history argues for verifying current member turnaround times before joining.
Who each one suits
Samaritan Ministries strengths
- Direct member-to-member sharing — your money goes to a named household
- Clear per-need caps published in guidelines ($500,000 Classic as of Sept 2026)
- Four program levels from Basic to Elevate for different budgets
Samaritan Ministries watch-outs
- No provider network — cash-price negotiation is on you
- IUA applies per need, so a year with several needs means several IUAs
- Some programs add a co-share on top of the IUA
Liberty HealthShare strengths
- Monthly shares reduced two years running; $2M+ returned to members in 2026
- Low entry pricing — under-35 Freedom program starts at $89 for singles
- Founded 1995, decades of operating history
Liberty HealthShare watch-outs
- Well-documented sharing backlogs in the late 2010s — verify current turnaround times
- The under-35 program caps sharing at $300,000 for unexpected eligible expenses
- Pricing history has shifted; read current program terms carefully
The verdict
Choose Samaritan if the direct model and a decades-long record of consistent sharing matter most — its published per-need caps set expectations clearly. Choose Liberty if its 2026 pricing fits your budget and you’ve verified current bill-sharing turnaround with recent members. Lowest price and longest track record point at different ministries here; decide which one you’re buying.
Disclosure: this site is published by Anglican Care, a healthcare sharing ministry. We publish the same data categories for every ministry we cover, including our own — and these comparisons can lead you to another ministry without us. Data verified September 2026; ministries change pricing and guidelines regularly, so confirm current terms before joining.