What Is an IUA? Knew Health Costs and IUAs Explained
What you'll contribute each month, what you'd pay if something big happened, and example prices for real households.
The short answer: Knew Health Membership starts from $178/month. Your monthly contribution is set by four things: your IUA, the oldest Member's age, your household type and tobacco use. The IUA (Initial Unshareable Amount) is what you pay toward a new Medical Need before the Community shares eligible costs, and you pay no more than three IUAs in a Membership year.
When you're close to choosing a Membership, two numbers decide whether it works for your household: what you'll contribute every month, and what you'd have to pay yourself if someone in your family needed surgery or ended up in the ER. This post walks through both, with the rules straight from the Member Guidelines and price examples you can check against your own situation.
Knew Health is not insurance. We are Medical Cost Sharing. Members contribute each month, and those contributions are shared toward one another's eligible Medical Needs under the published Member Guidelines.
On this page
What is an IUA?
The Initial Unshareable Amount, or IUA, is the amount you pay toward a new Medical Need before the Knew Health Community shares in the eligible expenses. You choose your IUA when you join, and you have three options: $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000. The same IUA level applies to everyone on your Membership.
IUAs work per Member, per incident. If your daughter breaks her wrist in the spring and your spouse needs an appendectomy in the fall, those are two separate Medical Needs, each with its own IUA. Everything related to the same condition stays part of one Medical Need, and you don't pay the IUA again for that condition unless you've been symptom-free for 12 months.
Your IUA doesn't reset on January 1. Say you sprain your ankle on December 28 and still need follow-up visits in February. That's one Medical Need with one IUA, and the eligible costs above it keep being shared into the new year.
If a Medical Need ends up costing less than your IUA, those bills are yours to pay, and sharing begins only once the IUA for that Need is met.
How is an IUA different from a deductible?
A deductible belongs to health insurance, and it adds up across all your care during the plan year. An IUA is tied to one Medical Need.
| Health insurance deductible | Knew Health IUA | |
|---|---|---|
| What it applies to | All your care during the plan year | One Medical Need |
| When it starts over | Usually at the start of each plan year | Not on a date. It's paid again for the same condition only after 12 months symptom-free. |
| Limit in a year | Depends on the insurance plan | No more than three IUAs per Membership year |
Once your IUA is paid, the eligible expenses for that Medical Need are shared within the limits in the Member Guidelines.
What sets your monthly contribution?
One monthly contribution includes everyone on your Membership, and four things set the amount:
- Your IUA. The higher your IUA, the lower your monthly contribution.
- The age of the oldest Member on your Membership. Prices are set in four age bands: 18–39, 40–49, 50–59 and 60–64.
- Your household type. Member only, Member and spouse, Member and children, or Member, spouse and children. For households with children, the number of children (1, 2–3, or 4 or more) also matters.
- Tobacco use. If anyone on the Membership used tobacco or smoked products at least once a month in the past year, $195 a month is added to the Membership.
There are no enrollment or application fees, and Membership is month-to-month.
Example monthly prices
These are current monthly contributions for two common households, with no tobacco use.
| Household | $5,000 IUA | $2,500 IUA | $1,000 IUA |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Member, age 18–39 | $178.50 | $210 | $279 |
| Member, spouse and two children (oldest Member is 44) | $625 | $730 | $915 |
The lowest price comes with the highest IUA. At $178.50 a month, a single Member would pay up to $5,000 toward each new Medical Need before sharing begins, so it's worth picking the IUA you could pay without strain if something happened next month.
Your own price depends on your household, and the calculator shows it at all three IUA levels in about a minute.
What happens in a year with several Medical Needs?
You pay three IUAs at most. "A membership will not be responsible for more than three IUAs in a membership year." That's the wording in the Member Guidelines, and the limit applies to your whole household together, not to each person.
After your household has paid three IUAs in a Membership year, the IUA is waived for any additional eligible Medical Need over $500 that year. Your Membership year runs from your Membership effective date, not from January 1.
This is a hypothetical example to show how the limit works. Real costs and eligibility depend on your situation and the Member Guidelines.
A family of four chooses the $2,500 IUA, and they have a hard year. Within one Membership year, their son breaks his arm at soccer, one parent needs gallbladder surgery, their daughter goes to the ER with pneumonia, and the other parent tears a knee ligament skiing. The family pays three IUAs, $7,500 in total, for the first three Medical Needs. The knee injury costs well over $500, so its IUA is waived and the eligible costs are shared.
What can be shared after my IUA?
Once your IUA is met, the Community shares the eligible costs of that Medical Need, within the Member Guidelines' limits. Expenses that may be eligible for sharing include:
- Ambulance services, ground and air
- Hospital stays
- Surgery
- Imaging
- Emergency visits
- Blood work
- Medications for acute care
- Approved alternative treatments, which need prior written approval from Knew Health
- Recovery services and follow-up visits
There's no annual or lifetime maximum overall. Some kinds of care do have per-Need limits, and no single Need can use more than 10% of the Community's annual sharing funds. The Member Guidelines list every limit, along with the care that isn't shareable.
If a large bill is coming, how paying a big medical bill works explains when you pay your IUA and when the Community's share is sent.
Do I pay an IUA for checkups?
No. General Wellness care isn't subject to your IUA. Annual well visits, well-woman and well-child visits, screening mammograms and colonoscopies, and immunizations are shared from your first day of Membership, up to set allowances.
If a checkup leads to more testing for a new problem, that testing becomes a new Medical Need with its own IUA.
How does pregnancy work?
Pregnancy has its own Maternity IUA of $5,000, no matter which IUA you chose for your Membership. Maternity Sharing 101 explains which pregnancies are eligible and what's shared.
Has Knew Health raised its prices?
✓ Knew Health hasn't increased Membership prices since opening in 2018.
That's our history, not a promise about future prices.
Frequently asked questions
What does Knew Health cost for a family of four?
For a Member, spouse and two children with the oldest Member age 44 and no tobacco use, the monthly contribution is $625 at the $5,000 IUA, $730 at the $2,500 IUA and $915 at the $1,000 IUA. Ages and household size change the price, so the cost calculator is the quickest way to see yours.
What's the cheapest Knew Health Membership?
One Member age 18–39 with the $5,000 IUA, at $178.50 a month. The tradeoff is that you'd pay up to $5,000 toward each new Medical Need before sharing begins.
Does my IUA reset every January?
No. Your IUA is tied to a Medical Need, not the calendar, so costs for the same Need that carry into a new year stay under the IUA you already paid.
When can I change my IUA?
Once a year, on your Membership anniversary. If you lower your IUA, a 60-day waiting period applies to new Medical Needs, except those caused by an accident.
How many IUAs could I pay in a year?
No more than three per Membership. After the third, the IUA is waived for additional eligible Medical Needs over $500 that Membership year.
Is my IUA the most I could ever pay for a Medical Need?
Not always. Your IUA is your share before sharing begins, but costs the Member Guidelines don't share, and amounts above a per-Need limit, stay your responsibility. The Care Team can walk you through how the limits apply to your situation.
See your price
The calculator shows your monthly contribution at every IUA level, so you can compare the monthly cost against what you'd pay per Medical Need. If you're pregnant, managing an ongoing health condition or switching from another health share with an open Medical Need, talk to the Care Team before you choose, because the Member Guidelines have specific rules for each.
Membership isn't available to people 65 or older, or in California, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont or Washington. See state availability.
Knew Health is not insurance, and sharing is subject to the Member Guidelines. We're a medical cost sharing community.
IUAs Explained
Embracing a new approach to healthcare can feel overwhelming, especially when exploring alternatives like medical cost-sharing. At Knew Health, we understand that journey. We're here to walk alongside you, making everything clear and approachable. The term "Initial Unshareable Amount"—or IUA—might be unfamiliar territory. Together, we'll explore what this means for you and your family's wellness journey. Think of this as your friendly guide—something you can return to whenever questions arise. We've gathered everything you need to know about IUAs right here, explained in a way that makes sense.
What is an 'Initial Unshareable Amount'?
An 'Initial Unshareable Amount,' or IUA, represents the amount you contribute when a new Medical Need arises. When you join our Community, you'll select an IUA that feels right for your family's budget. Here's where it gets reassuring: once a medical event happens, you'll only contribute up to your chosen IUA amount. Our caring Community then shares the remaining eligible expenses together. It's important to understand that Knew Health is not health insurance—we're a Medical Cost Sharing Community where Members support each other through voluntary contributions.
While some compare an IUA to health insurance deductibles, the experience is refreshingly different:
- IUAs are continuous and don't reset every January 1st
- Once you meet your IUA, there are no additional copayments or coinsurance
- General wellness services aren't subject to your IUA
- An IUA applies per-Member, per-incident
How many IUA Membership options does Knew Health offer?
We offer three IUA Membership options designed to fit different family needs: $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000. You can choose a Membership for yourself alone, with a spouse or child, or for your entire family. The IUA level you select applies to all participants in your household. Each Membership contribution is based on the age of the oldest Member. To explore all your options and find what works best for your family, visit our Knew Health Membership Options.
How do I know which IUA is right for me?
After considering who you'll include in your Membership and identifying your age range, you'll want to select an IUA that aligns with your family's financial comfort zone. Here's a helpful perspective: choosing a higher IUA means lower monthly contributions, while a lower IUA means higher monthly contributions. It's about finding that sweet spot where you feel both protected and financially comfortable.
What happens if I don't meet my IUA for an unexpected medical event?
If your medical expenses for a single Medical Need are less than your IUA level, you're responsible for those bills. Our Community begins sharing eligible expenses only after you've met your IUA. This straightforward approach helps everyone understand exactly what to expect.
What expenses can be included in my IUA?
Your IUA can include various expenses related to a medical event. These may be eligible for sharing:
- Ambulance services (ground and air)
- Hospital stays
- Surgery
- Imaging
- Emergency visits
- Blood work
- Medications for acute care
- Holistic treatments
- Recovery services
- Follow-up visits
- Maternity
- And more
Does my IUA reset on January 1st?
Here's wonderful news: No! Your IUA doesn't follow the calendar year, so it never "resets" on January 1st. Instead, IUAs work continuously on a per-Member, per-incident basis. After meeting your IUA, the Community shares one hundred percent of eligible expenses related to that Medical Need. For example, if an unexpected injury happens in December, your medical expenses from December, January, and beyond that relate to that initial injury are all part of one Medical Need. You'll only contribute one IUA for that entire event.
Can I change my IUA at any time?
Members have the flexibility to change their IUA level once during the year. This change applies to all household Members. Please note that lowering your IUA results in a 60-day waiting period for new Medical Needs (except for accidental emergencies). This helps maintain fairness across our Community.
What are the limits on sharing?
There's no annual or lifetime maximum on eligible shareable amounts for any Member or Membership household. Knew Health has thoughtfully structured systems to handle large Medical Needs and has budgeted accordingly.
We also provide a safety net for households experiencing particularly challenging healthcare years. Households aren't responsible for more than three IUAs in a rolling 12-month period. This additional protection brings peace of mind when unexpected health challenges arise.
Does an IUA apply to general wellness services?
Great news here! General wellness services aren't subject to your IUA. Your Knew Health Membership includes access to routine wellness care as part of your benefits. Even better, you don't need to meet your IUA to access wellness services and general wellness care. We believe in supporting your proactive health choices.
How does an IUA help my family save money?
Joining Knew Health and selecting an IUA option can lead to significant savings, especially during unexpected health events. Unlike health insurance where individuals often face copayments, coinsurance, and annual deductible resets, Knew Health's IUA approach offers simplicity and predictability. You'll know exactly what your maximum responsibility is for any Medical Need, bringing genuine financial peace of mind.
Plus, with access to our Self-Care Credit and focus on general wellness, many Members find they're investing in their health proactively rather than reactively managing illness.
Final Thoughts
Understanding Initial Unshareable Amounts (IUAs) empowers you to make confident healthcare decisions for your family. Unlike health insurance, our IUAs offer continuous protection without annual resets, providing flexibility and options tailored to your needs. With transparent sharing of eligible medical expenses and no annual or lifetime maximums, Knew Health helps you face healthcare costs with confidence. Remember, we're not health insurance—we're a Community of Members supporting each other through life's health challenges. Choosing Knew Health means embracing an affordable, heart-centered healthcare solution that brings genuine peace of mind. Your journey to empowered, Community-supported healthcare starts here.
