Why I Broke Up With Health Insurance (And What I Chose Instead)

Seventeen years ago, I walked away from traditional health insurance.

At the time, it felt risky. But it also felt increasingly difficult to justify paying enormous monthly premiums for a system that rarely worked the way people expected it to.

Over the years, I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on health insurance premiums – and never once maxed out my deductible.

I know many people feel grateful if they rarely need major medical care, and I do too. But at some point, I had to ask myself:

Was this system really serving my family?

For me, the answer became clear: not really.

Here's what you'll read about in this article:

• The rising cost of health insurance
• The practitioners I wanted weren't covered anyway
• What is health sharing?
• Why I switched to a nonprofit health sharing program
• The financial difference was signifigant
• What about catastrophic medical bills?
• What I personally appreciate most about health sharing
• Why I'm sharing this

I have friends paying over $2,000 per month just in premiums for family coverage. That doesn’t even include deductibles, copays, prescriptions, or unexpected medical bills.

I’ve literally had mortgage payments lower than some families’ insurance premiums.

And despite paying so much, many people still struggle to get claims approved.

I’ve watched friends with “excellent” insurance battle endless denials, delays, and appeals for treatments their doctors recommended. Increasingly, people find themselves stuck navigating automated systems, AI chatbots, and layers of bureaucracy when they need help the most.

That disconnect frustrated me deeply.

Another reason I stepped away from traditional insurance was simple:

Many of the practitioners and therapies I valued most weren’t covered.

I wanted the freedom to choose my own providers – not just stay inside a narrow insurance network.

I wanted access to chiropractic care, physical therapy, telemedicine, holistic practitioners, and mental health support without constantly wondering what would or wouldn’t be approved.

That search eventually led me to health sharing.

Health sharing programs are communities where members contribute monthly to help cover one another’s eligible medical expenses.

The concept itself isn’t new. Communities like the Amish have used versions of medical cost sharing for generations.

Today, newer healthcare sharing organizations have modernized the model, making it more scalable, transparent, and accessible for families looking for alternatives to traditional insurance.

The program I joined is nonprofit, which was incredibly important to me.

Traditional insurance companies are businesses designed to generate profit. That creates an unavoidable tension between what’s best for shareholders and what’s best for patients.

With a nonprofit health sharing model, the incentives feel fundamentally different.

If there’s excess money at the end of the year, it goes back to members instead of shareholders.
That alignment mattered to me.

Switching dramatically lowered our monthly healthcare costs.

Compared to traditional health insurance, I’m saving an enormous amount every month. Even compared to another health sharing company I previously used, this new option has been far more affordable.

One friend of mine pays around $571 per month for a family of eight, with access to telehealth, chiropractic discounts, teletherapy support, and other healthcare benefits.

For many families, that kind of savings can completely change their financial reality.

This was my biggest concern.

Medical debt is one of the leading causes of financial hardship in America, and I never wanted to gamble with my family’s future by being completely uncovered during a major emergency.
That’s why finding a solution for catastrophic medical events mattered so much to me.

For our family, health sharing provided a middle path:

• Lower monthly costs
• Greater provider freedom
• Support for large eligible medical expenses
• Less bureaucracy and administrative frustration

Here are some of the biggest reasons health sharing has worked well for me:

1 — Freedom to Choose Providers

There’s no restrictive network. We can work with the practitioners we trust.

2 — Real Human Support

When we call customer support, we talk to actual people.

3 — Faster Payments to Providers

Many providers appreciate working with health sharing members because payments are often processed more directly and efficiently.

(After a car accident I was in two years ago, my chiropractor is STILL waiting to get paid! You may become your doctor’s favorite patient, due to how fast she gets paid.)

4 — A Different Philosophy Around Healthcare

I personally value models that prioritize community support, transparency, and personal responsibility over corporate profit incentives.

5 — Refer Friends and Earn Money

We can refer our friends and family and earn a monthly commission from their membership. Referring just a few friends covers our monthly cost – essentially, free coverage.

I’m so passionate about this, I’m making it my full-time focus. Want to work with me? You could refer a few friends, or you could also make a serious living, if you like the idea of working with GreenSmoothieGirl and bringing people health freedom, as a part-time or full-time job.

Join me here – for my Thursday Noon ET live classes on this, or watch the pre-recorded class right away. And sign up for a 30-minute call with me.

I’ve spent nearly two decades talking about health freedom, informed choice, and taking ownership of our wellbeing.

Discovering health sharing felt aligned with those same values.

I genuinely wish we had learned about these models sooner.

If you’ve been feeling frustrated with the traditional insurance system, maybe this gives you another option to explore.

Because sometimes the best thing we can do is realize there may be another path entirely.

 

If you’re curious whether health sharing could work for your family, you can watch my free class or request a quote to compare options.

Disclaimer: Health sharing programs are not traditional insurance. Coverage eligibility and benefits vary by program. Always review terms carefully before enrolling.