Nurse in New York Ditches Employer Insurance to Save $970 Monthly Amid Rising Premiums
The move highlights a growing trend of workers seeking alternatives to employer-sponsored plans, though health-sharing arrangements lack federal regulation and may exclude specific treatments.
Jessica Balcerzak, a 33-year-old nurse based in Buffalo, New York, has stopped paying for her employer-sponsored health insurance plan in 2025. Citing her good health and the high cost of premiums relative to usage, she determined that continuing to pay for the coverage was unnecessary. By opting out of the workplace plan, her family has reduced its monthly healthcare expenditure by $970.
To replace the employer coverage, Balcerzak enrolled herself in a medical cost-sharing cooperative known as Zion HealthShare. Her children were subsequently enrolled in Child Health Plus, a state-sponsored plan. This combination of a cost-sharing arrangement for the adult and state coverage for the minors has allowed the family to redirect funds that would have gone toward premiums, with Balcerzak noting she would have otherwise been paying $585 every two weeks.
The decision comes as the price of health insurance continues to climb. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that in 2025, the average family coverage cost reached $26,993, marking a 6% increase from the previous year and a 26% rise over the last five years. While employer-sponsored benefits remain a top factor for Americans when considering career moves, the proportion of workers enrolled in such plans has dipped slightly from 64% in 2020 to 61% in 2025.
Health-sharing plans like Zion HealthShare offer lower monthly costs compared to traditional insurance premiums but operate under a different regulatory framework. Unlike regulated insurance, these plans are not technically insurance and are not subject to state or federal laws. Consequently, coverage is not guaranteed and is often at the discretion of the members rather than a statutory obligation.
Specific restrictions within these arrangements can significantly impact coverage. Plans such as Zion HealthShare may deny claims for expenses related to preexisting conditions, mental health services, allergy treatments, and diabetic medication. The exclusions also extend to dental, vision, and neurodivergent conditions, as well as medical needs deemed medically stable when chronic.
While Balcerzak's transition has yielded immediate savings, the financial impact of such a switch varies significantly depending on an individual's health history and the frequency of medical claims. Experts caution that while the upfront costs are lower, the risk of facing unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for excluded services remains a critical consideration for workers evaluating their healthcare options.
