The rules, in order. If an organization or health plan sponsors the circle, the family is not asked (see Sponsorship). A circle activated with a founder code is active for good. While there is no way to pay yet, nobody is gated at all — there is no paywall without a way to pay. Circles created before billing existed are grandfathered and never put on a trial clock. A circle created after launch has a seven-day trial from the day the owner account was created.
The whole thing fails open on purpose: any uncertainty grants access. A billing glitch must never lock a family out of a sick relative's circle.