How It Works
Step 1: Join the Community
Become a CommunityCare member with a low monthly Advocacy Fee ($55/month) and you will gain access to a platform, Community, and toolkit to help you find and fund your healthcare outside the insurance system, with personalized support along the way.
Step 2: Help Others When Needed
Every month, you'll be asked to assist another member with their health event. This amount varies based on the needs of the Community. The maximum you will be asked is based on age and family size.
Step 3: Access the Care you Need, When you Need it
As a CommunityCare member, you’re a self-pay patient, which means you’re avoiding high insurance premiums and have the freedom to choose your care providers. Self-pay also opens doors to lower costs and greater transparency in your medical expenses.
Step 4: Submit your bills
When you have medical bills, snap a photo, upload it to the app, and submit.
Step 5: Receive Direct Contributions from the Community
Once submitted, CommunityCare will reach out to other members to request contributions. This ensures funds are distributed quickly, fairly, and efficiently—giving you the financial support you need.
To learn more about how it works, check out the CommunityCare Member Guide.
A Real Impact: Community in Action
This real example from our partner, CrowdHealth, shows the power of community-driven support.
Health Event Arises
A Dallas member needed a hysterectomy due to a cervical cancer diagnosis.
Negotiating Costs
The hospital's initial price was $48,000. We successfully negotiated the cost down to $9,190.
Crowdfunding the Expense
142 members contributed to cover this cost, averaging $64.71 each. This funding went directly to pay the medical bill.
Better Healthcare without Insurance
The member received the necessary medical treatment without the burden of a large bill. The community came together to support a fellow member, demonstrating the power of community-driven health support.
How Bills Get Paid
CommunityCare has advocates who assist you on each and every health issue, ensuring that your costs are covered through a seamless and stress-free process.
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Imagine a $500,000 hospital bill from an emergency open heart surgery. The bill first gets negotiated down to a reasonable fair market rate, approximately $150,000, and then gets submitted to the Community. 1,111 members give $135 each to meet the need of this medical bill.
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When Brian breaks his arm and faces $5,000 worth of medical bills from the ER, follow up care, and physical therapy he knows he’s going to pay for the first $500 of care and then he can ask the Community for help with the rest. The remaining $4,500 gets crowdfunded by the Community, and sent directly to Brian who uses the funds to pay his medical bills.
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For a planned knee replacement, CommunityCare can help you shop for a high quality, fairly priced provider. Knee Replacement surgery on the free market costs approximately $20,000. This amount, distributed among 140 members, can be crowdfunded prior to the surgery so you have the funds you need to pay at the time of service.
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Lisa and Michael are expecting their first child and just had their very first prenatal visit. While at the visit, their doctor gives them information on their cash-pay Global Fee for all prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care totaling $6000. When Lisa calls to register with the hospital, she is given a Good Faith Estimate for her delivery totaling another $6,000. Additional blood work and imaging adds another $1,500 to the total, bringing their maternity costs to $13,500. Lisa and Michael know they will be paying the first $3,000 for their Maternity Member Commitment and use the $10,500 they receive from the Community to pay the remaining balances.
Have questions?
Check out our Community Care FAQs or chat with a CommunityCare Specialist.