David G. Lejeune, president of America’s HealthShare, said Lake County families are seeking new healthcare options as rising premiums and shrinking choices strain household budgets across the region.
“For too long, Lake County families have been trapped in a healthcare system that costs more and cares less,” Lejeune said. “America’s HealthShare offers a MAHA-friendly alternative that restores choice and dignity.”
“We put families, not bureaucrats, in charge of their health,” he said. “Freedom starts with healthcare — and it starts right here in Lake County.”
America’s HealthShare is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) healthcare sharing ministry that allows members to share one another’s eligible medical expenses rather than pay premiums into a traditional insurance pool. The organization supports the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, a framework popularized nationally by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, who has called for returning healthcare decision-making to patients and local communities. Kennedy’s MAHA platform emphasizes transparency, personal choice, and preventive care in a system many view as overly costly and centralized.
AHS’ program includes upfront price transparency, eliminating surprise billing and helping members compare costs before receiving care. Eligible shared services include hospitalization, inpatient and outpatient surgeries, maternity care, emergency room visits, chiropractic and physiotherapy, telehealth, mental health counseling, and naturopathic and integrative medicine.
Members also have access to advanced treatment categories such as precision cancer therapies, peptides, regenerative medicine, and coverage for vaccine-related injury care, a benefit uncommon among traditional plans. Preventive services include annual wellness exams, screening labs, nutritional counseling, fertility-awareness education, and unlimited virtual care depending on program tier.
Membership starts at $68 per month for individuals, $136 for couples, and $276 for families, significantly below the cost of many private insurance premiums. The organization offers multiple program levels with Annual Unshared Amounts ranging from $3,000 to $12,000, and eligible medical needs sharable up to $1 million per incident.
AHS leaders say the model is especially timely as federal ACA subsidies are scheduled to taper, leaving many families facing higher monthly payments. By using Reference-Based Pricing, AHS negotiates fair rates for services to avoid excessive charges and reduce waste.
Lejeune said America’s HealthShare is expanding its presence in communities throughout Illinois as demand grows for healthcare options that align with families’ values, budgets, and priorities.
