For families exploring faith-based health care sharing for the first time, understanding key terminology is an essential step toward making informed decisions. One term that frequently arises in medical sharing circles is the “Initial Unshareable Amount” (IUA)—often referred to as the Member Responsibility Amount (MRA). Understanding how the IUA functions, how it differs from traditional out-of-pocket structures, and how Anglican Care structures its program tiers empowers Christian households to choose the exact level of financial protection that fits their family budget.
In health care sharing ministries, members voluntarily contribute monthly funds to help share one another’s eligible medical needs. However, to keep monthly contribution amounts affordable for everyone in the ministry, each member family agrees to absorb an initial fixed portion of medical expenses when an eligible medical event occurs. This pre-determined out-of-pocket commitment is the Initial Unshareable Amount.
What Is an Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA)?
The Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA), or Member Responsibility Amount (MRA), is the specified dollar amount that a member is responsible for paying out-of-pocket for an eligible medical incident before community sharing begins. Think of it as your personal financial responsibility for a specific injury, illness, or medical event.
Unlike commercial healthcare systems where patients face complex deductible calculations, co-payments, percentage split charges, and out-of-network surprises, the IUA model in health care sharing is simple, transparent, and fixed. You select your IUA level when enrolling in a program tier, allowing you to tailor your monthly contributions to your family’s budget and risk tolerance.
Per-Incident Sharing vs. Annual Out-of-Pocket Deductibles
A critical distinction to understand is that the IUA in Anglican Care is applied on a per-incident basis rather than as a cumulative annual deductible. A “medical incident” includes all medically necessary testing, physician consultations, surgical procedures, hospital stays, follow-up visits, and prescribed therapy associated with a single diagnosis or injury.
For example, if a member experiences a knee injury requiring an initial emergency evaluation, an MRI scan, orthopedic surgery, and ten physical therapy sessions over six months, all of these medical bills stem from a single medical incident. The member pays their chosen IUA just once for that entire event. Once that single IUA is satisfied, all remaining eligible medical expenses associated with that knee injury are eligible for community sharing up to the program limit.
Anglican Care Program Tiers and Flexible IUA Options
Anglican Care offers three core program tiers for individuals and families, allowing members to customize their balance between monthly contributions and per-incident responsibility:
- Foundational Tier ($5,000 MRA / IUA): Designed for young, healthy households or budget-conscious families seeking essential protection against major medical catastrophes. Featuring our lowest age-banded monthly contributions (starting at just $79/month for individuals under 30), this tier provides a $250,000 sharing limit per incident.
- Essential Tier ($2,500 MRA / IUA): Our most popular balanced program tier for growing families. With moderate monthly contributions (such as $399/month for a family of three or more in their 30s or 40s), the Essential tier offers a $500,000 sharing limit per incident.
- Complete Tier ($1,000 MRA / IUA): Ideal for families desiring comprehensive protection and minimal out-of-pocket expenses when medical needs arise. The Complete tier features a low $1,000 per-incident IUA and a generous $1,000,000 sharing limit per incident.
Additionally, Anglican Care offers specialized options including Senior Care Sharing for members 65+ with Medicare Parts A & B (featuring a low $500 MRA per incident and $250,000 sharing limit) and an optional Catastrophic Support Add-On that extends your per-incident limit by an additional $1,000,000 without increasing your MRA.
Real-World Example: How the IUA Works in Practice
To see how the IUA operates during an actual medical event, consider the story of David, an Anglican Care Essential tier member with a $2,500 MRA. While repairing his home roof, David suffered a fall resulting in a severe wrist fracture that required emergency care and outpatient surgery.
Here is how his medical bills were processed through the ministry:
- Emergency Room Visit & X-Rays: Billed at $3,800. David requested a cash-pay discount, reducing the bill to $2,400. David paid this directly toward his $2,500 MRA.
- Outpatient Surgery & Hardware Placement: Billed at $12,000. David paid the remaining $100 of his $2,500 MRA.
- Remaining Surgical & Follow-Up Bills ($11,900): Having fully satisfied his $2,500 per-incident MRA, the remaining $11,900 in eligible surgical fees and physical therapy costs were submitted through the Anglican Care Member Portal.
- Community Sharing: Fellow Anglican Care members voluntarily shared the entire remaining $11,900, sending direct financial support and prayers to David and his family.
Biblical Wisdom and Peace of Mind
Scripture calls us to walk in wisdom, integrity, and clear fellowship. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, while Galatians 6:2 instructs us to bear one another’s burdens. Anglican Care’s clear IUA structure ensures that no family is caught off guard by convoluted fine print during a medical challenge. By choosing the IUA level that fits your household financial strategy, you can enjoy true peace of mind, backed by a warm community of believers dedicated to caring for one another.