Now that the midterm elections are completed and the Democrats have taken back control of the House of Representatives, we know that we’ll have a split Congress for at least the next two years. With a measure of legislative and oversight power back in the hands of Democrats, it’s only a matter of time until those on the left will begin attempting to impose their will on the issues they hold to be most pressing. If the focus of Democratic campaign ads from recent months are to be the basis of what they’ll zero in on first, we can expect to see a renewed effort from the Democrats to reform Americans’ healthcare.

If the previous Democrat-led effort to reform healthcare is any indication of what they may be hoping to do this time, we can expect the Democratic proposal to include heavy government involvement in healthcare. Since the Republican party took control of the White House two years ago, Democrats have pleaded that the Affordable Care Act does not need to be repealed, but rather just needs to be tweaked. However, Americans who actually purchase their healthcare through the government Exchange may feel quite strongly that it’s going to take more than a tweak to stop the skyrocketing monthly prices of healthcare programs listed on the Exchange.

In order to reverse the course of healthcare in America and return prices to a level that the everyday American can afford, real change needs to be made. To put it simply, what has been tried isn’t working and it’s time to try something new. One solution that may be new to many people, and may be a direction that our elected officials should consider is known as healthcare sharing. While this solution has been in existence for over a quarter century, healthcare sharing is still a new concept to many Americans and has really exploded in popularity since its exemption from the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

Many of the principles of healthcare sharing are principles that a large majority of Americans would like to see in their healthcare. Healthcare sharing organizations, one of the largest of which is Liberty HealthShare, offer consumers the ability to visit the doctor or hospital of their choice. We all remember when the Affordable Care Act was passed and we were told that we’d be able to keep our doctors. It turns out that wasn’t true for many people, and they had to switch doctors or risk their healthcare expenses not being paid. You won’t have to worry about that with healthcare sharing, because these organizations don’t restrict members to a network of specific providers.

Another principle of healthcare sharing that many Americans would love to see in their current healthcare program is an emphasis on affordable prices instead of massive profits and executive bonuses. Healthcare sharing organizations, such as Liberty HealthShare, are non-profit organizations and therefore not beholden to shareholders or stock prices. This allows healthcare sharing organizations to offer low prices, such as Liberty HealthShare’s price of $199 per month for their most comprehensive program. This program offered by Liberty HealthShare provides members with up to $1,000,000 of protection against medical costs per incident. Essentially, for each illness, injury, or condition for which you visit a doctor or hospital, Liberty HealthShare will pay up to $1,000,000 of eligible medical bills and that amount resets for the next illness, injury, or condition.

So, how do healthcare sharing organizations keep prices so low for their members? Well, to start with, they do not pay for expenses that are deemed to be not medically necessary. Paying for other people’s elective procedures that may not align with the member’s values is a common complaint many people voice about their health insurance plans. These elective procedures inflate the cost for everyone else who has that program, as the cost of these procedures is recouped through higher monthly costs. By not sharing into expenses stemming from abortions, sex changes, elective cosmetic surgery, negligent acts, or drug/alcohol use, Liberty HealthShare is able to ensure that there are no moral conflicts for its members.

As the new year approaches and we prepare to welcome a new Congress to Capitol Hill, questions remain regarding the best route for improving Americans’ healthcare. While doubts regarding the federal government’s ability to provide an effective healthcare solution may be reasonable, there is one solution that already exists and is already providing over one million Americans with an affordable way to pay for their healthcare. That solution is called healthcare sharing, and it could be just what Americans need as the new Congress prepares to take their shot at healthcare reform. If you’re tired of waiting for the government to try to get healthcare reform right, and you need affordable healthcare sooner rather than later, check out Liberty HealthShare. They have a strong track record of returning freedom to their members and they can do the same for you.