Zion Health vs. Sedera: How the Two Compare

Zion HealthShare and Sedera are widely considered the two most established fully secular health sharing options on the market — neither requires a statement of faith or any religious affiliation. They’re also, notably, the two organizations behind MPB Health’s own medical cost sharing: Care+, Direct, and Secure HSA are Zion-backed, while Premium Care and Premium HSA are Sedera-backed. Here’s how the two compare.

Quick Comparison

	Zion HealthShare	Sedera
Faith requirement	None	None
Founded	2019	2014
IUA range	$1,250–$5,000	$500–$5,000
Preventive care	Yes, depending on plan	Yes
Pre-existing condition lookback period	2 years	3 years
Pre-existing condition treatment	Certain managed conditions (blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes) shared from day one if controlled and not recently hospitalized; other conditions phase in over 4 years with graduated caps along the way	Existing conditions phase in gradually over 3 years with graduated caps along the way
Sharing cap	No annual or lifetime cap	No annual or lifetime cap
Provider network	See any provider	See any provider
Mental health access	Included	Included
Processing turnaround	Often cited as notably fast, commonly within 5–10 business days once documentation is submitted	Varies

Where They’re Similar

Both organizations are frequently ranked among the top-rated secular health sharing options by independent comparison sites. Both skip the religious affiliation requirement entirely, both include mental health access (a category several faith-based plans and even some secular ones exclude), and both report member savings in the range of 30–60% compared to unsubsidized traditional insurance for many households.

Network Structure

Neither Zion or Sedera require you to use a particular network. You are free to see any provider.

Where They Differ

Cost and IUA Flexibility

The cost for comparable plans at the same IUA level are almost identical. Sedera, however, offers more IUA options at the lower end. Specifically, $500 and $1000 options. So if you want to minimize your out of pockets costs for an eligible medical need, you may want to consider Sedera. Use our plan selection and pricing tool to see live quotes and compare Zion and Sedera options directly at various IUA levels.

Preventive Care

Zion has a slight edge in preventive care with coverage for an annual wellness visit (up to $175), well child visits, and a higher colonoscopy limit. If you sign up for a Zion backed plan via MPB Health, ensure you select the Direct plan if you want preventive coverage as the Care+ plan does not include it.

Pre-Existing Condition Handling

This is one of the more consequential differences if you or a household member has an ongoing condition. Zion is frequently highlighted for sharing certain well-managed chronic conditions — high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes (type 1 and 2) — from the first day of membership, provided the condition is controlled and hasn’t required hospitalization in the previous 12 months. Sedera’s approach is more gradual: existing conditions typically aren’t shared during the first 12 months, with sharing caps increasing in stages through year 3, at which point conditions become more fully shareable. Both approaches are more generous than many faith-based plans, but the day-one exception for common managed conditions is specifically a Zion feature. See our waiting periods and pre-existing conditions guide for more details.

Processing Speed

Zion has built a reputation among reviewers and members for fast turnaround on sharing requests, often cited around 5–10 business days once documentation is complete.

Miscellaneous

• Tobacco: Zion charges a $50 /month surcharge for tobacco use while Sedera charges $75
• Concierge: Both Zion and Sedera help members find providers but Sedera helps members find providers with the best prices.
• ADD, ADHC, Autism, SPD, Psychological Services, Psychiatric Care: Zion does not provide coverage for these needs while Sedera does, albeit with caps.
• Chiropractic: Zion has a higher cap for chiropractic services
• Medical Equipment: Sedera covers a higher percentage of the cost, 75% up to $25,000.
• Out of Country Travel: Zion limits coverage to medical emergencies only while Sedera covers any medically necessary need
• Foreign Residency: Zion members must reside in the U.S., Sedera members only need U.S. citizenship

How This Maps to MPB Health

If you’re comparing these two specifically to decide between MPB Health plans, the practical version of this comparison is: Care+, Direct, and Secure HSA route your cost sharing through Zion; Premium Care and Premium HSA route it through Sedera. The differences above — IUA ranges, pre-existing condition handling, etc. — are how those plans differ from each other. If day-one sharing for a managed condition like diabetes or high blood pressure matters to you, that points toward the Zion-backed plans. If you want the lowest possible IUA, that points toward the Sedera-backed plans.

Bottom Line

Zion HealthShare and Sedera are both well-regarded, fully secular health sharing options, and the choice between them usually comes down to the details described above and your specific situation. Understanding their differences is useful whether you’re evaluating them independently or deciding between MPB Health’s Zion-backed and Sedera-backed plans.