Can You Join a Health Share Anytime? Why Year-Round Enrollment Matters More Than Ever in 2026 and Beyond
As 2026 begins, many Americans are taking a closer look at their healthcare options. Over the past few years, enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies helped keep insurance premiums lower for millions of people. Those subsidies expired at the end of 2025, and the impact is now being felt. Many households are seeing significantly higher monthly premiums, and for some, the increase has been substantial enough to reconsider their current coverage altogether.
For those without subsidies, the numbers are even more challenging. In 2026, average non-subsidized ACA premiums are approaching $1,800 to $2,000 per month for a family and $600 to $800 per month for an individual, depending on age and location. At the same time, changes to enrollment rules are making it harder to adjust when those costs no longer make sense. This has led to a simple but important question: Can you join a Health Share anytime, or do you have to wait for open enrollment?
The Short Answer
In most cases, you can join a health sharing community at any time. Unlike traditional health insurance, health shares are not limited to a once-a-year enrollment period. Because they operate outside of the ACA marketplace, they are not bound by government enrollment calendars. For many people, that flexibility is one of the most practical differences.
Why Enrollment Timing Has Become a Bigger Issue
To understand why this matters, it helps to look at what has changed. For 2026 coverage, the ACA open enrollment period ran from November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026 in most states. If you missed that window, your ability to enroll depends on whether you qualify for a special enrollment period. In the past, there was more flexibility. Individuals with lower incomes could enroll throughout the year under a special provision. That option has now been eliminated. Beginning in late 2025, income alone is no longer enough to qualify for year-round enrollment. That change significantly reduces access for many people who may not have been ready or able to enroll during the standard window.
Rising Costs Are Forcing More Difficult Decisions
At the same time that enrollment flexibility is shrinking, costs are increasing. With the expiration of enhanced premium subsidies, many households are seeing noticeable increases in monthly premiums. Across the market, insurers have implemented or proposed median rate increases of around 18% for 2026, with some plans rising even higher. At the same time, out-of-pocket maximums continue to rise, reaching over $10,000 for individuals and more than $20,000 for families.
Other underlying factors are also contributing to these increases. The growing use of high-cost medications, including GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and metabolic health, continues to push premiums higher across the market. While these treatments are valuable for some patients, their cost impact is being spread across the broader insured population. As a result, many consumers are adjusting their behavior. In early 2026, there has been a noticeable shift toward lower-cost, high-deductible Bronze plans, as individuals try to keep monthly premiums manageable. While this reduces upfront costs, it often increases financial exposure when care is actually needed.
At the same time, enrollment rules have become more strict. Special enrollment opportunities are more limited, income-based flexibility has been reduced, and additional verification requirements make it harder to enroll outside of standard windows. Even small changes, like minimum premiums for auto-reenrolled plans, reflect a broader tightening of the system.
What is becoming clearer in early 2026 is how people are responding. Recent actuarial analysis shows that roughly 1 in 7 ACA enrollees did not make their first premium payment this year, following cost increases. In some areas, that number was even higher. Early data from insurers suggests that a significant percentage of members who initially enrolled have since dropped coverage, largely due to affordability concerns.
Projections indicate that total ACA enrollment could decline meaningfully this year. This reflects a broader reality. Healthcare decisions are not always made on a fixed timeline. They depend on income, job changes, family needs, and financial stability. When costs increase, people pause. They compare options. They try to make careful decisions. The problem is that the traditional insurance system does not allow for that kind of flexibility.
Why Year-Round Enrollment Matters
This is where health sharing becomes a more practical option for many households. Because health shares are membership-based programs and not insurance, they are not restricted by open enrollment timelines. That means individuals and families can explore their options and apply for membership when it makes sense for them. Year-round enrollment is not just about convenience. It gives people the ability to make healthcare decisions based on their actual circumstances instead of a fixed calendar.
For example, someone who:
- missed open enrollment
- experienced a change in income
- is reevaluating rising premiums
- or is simply looking for a more sustainable option
can consider a health share without waiting months for the next enrollment period.
A Different Structure, With Important Differences
It is important to understand that health sharing is not the same as insurance. Health shares are nonprofit, membership-based communities where members contribute monthly and share in one another’s eligible medical expenses. They do not operate under ACA regulations, and they follow their own member guidelines. Because of that structure, there are differences that members should understand, including how pre-existing conditions are handled and how eligibility is determined over time. For many people, the tradeoff is flexibility, transparency, and a more direct connection to how healthcare costs are managed.
How EverTrust Fits Into This
EverTrust Health Share is structured to reflect that reality. Members can apply for membership throughout the year, without being limited to a specific enrollment window. This allows individuals and families to make decisions when their financial situation, healthcare needs, and priorities are aligned.
At the same time, EverTrust provides clear member guidelines, a cooperative structure, and the freedom to choose providers without network restrictions.
Just as important is how EverTrust approaches cost. While traditional coverage for families is now approaching $1,800 to $2,000 per month in many cases, EverTrust memberships are often structured at a significantly lower monthly cost, depending on household size and selected Member Responsibility Amount. Membership rates for families with EverTrust range from $685 – $1,000 per month, and individuals pay between $255 – $325 per month based on their membership type.
Beyond cost, EverTrust is built around how healthcare is actually used today. Care no longer happens in one place. It happens across primary care providers, outpatient facilities, imaging centers, virtual platforms, and specialists. Costs vary widely depending on where you go, and those differences are not always obvious. EverTrust is designed to support that reality, not restrict it. Members have the flexibility to work with traditional providers, holistic and integrative practitioners, and virtual care options. Through programs like EverCare and EverUs, members have access to everyday care, preventive services, and support for larger medical needs in one connected experience.
With tools like Amaze, members also have access to real-time guidance, helping them determine what care is needed, where to go, and how to avoid unnecessary costs before they occur. The result is a model that is not only flexible in when you can join, but also more aligned with how people actually use healthcare.
Why This Matters Going Forward
Looking ahead, these challenges are not expected to go away. Enrollment windows may become shorter, regulations may become stricter, and costs may become more unpredictable. At the same time, more people are working in flexible income environments where timing matters. Healthcare decisions do not always align with a calendar.
The Bottom Line
Health share enrollment is not tied to open enrollment periods. In a year where costs are rising, enrollment flexibility is decreasing, and more people are reconsidering their options, that difference matters more than ever. For many households, the ability to evaluate options and make a decision when it makes sense is not just convenient. It is necessary. Health shares offer that flexibility. And for those rethinking their healthcare approach in 2026 and beyond, that flexibility is often the starting point.