Member Story: Antonio and Willow Monterrosa

The Monterrosa family became members of Liberty HealthShare a decade ago.

Before becoming part of a sharing community of like-minded individuals within a framework of Christian support, Antonio and his wife, Willow, were paying $3,600 per month for health insurance for their family; that's when reality hit — the cost of healthcare had become overwhelming.

"We were worried. As a family, we wondered how we were going to manage our healthcare expenses," he described.

As a certified financial planner and tax advisor, Antonio understood how to budget and choose the best healthsharing program for their family.

After learning about healthsharing and reviewing the top four cost-sharing ministries, they concluded that Liberty HealthShare was their best healthcare option.

"It was clear to us that Liberty HealthShare was the most prudent choice. It had the highest per-incident rate and the lowest Annual Unshared Amount," he said. “We affectionately call it ‘Jesus Insurance.’”

During their first few years of membership, the Monterrosas didn't use their membership for significant health events, but only for wellness visits. That changed in 2021, when Antonio needed hernia surgery.

Those who switch from health insurance to healthsharing often rely on the experiences of other members.

"The first real test of our Liberty HealthShare membership came when I received hospital and surgeon bills totaling $8,000," he recalled. "But it was all shared by our fellow Liberty members.”

While one hurdle had been cleared, another significant challenge arose when he had surgery for appendicitis.

"I'm the type of person who usually can tough it out, but this time was different. My appendix was partially perforated," he explained.

His specialists collectively charged $11,000 for the surgery, and the hospital charged $45,000 for overnight care.

As inflation continues to climb, many are burdened by the rising cost of healthcare. The ministry's members help ease the medical burdens that weigh heavily on families.

"If you are self-employed, like we are, you constantly face the risk of going bankrupt. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and the Liberty HealthShare community is at the forefront of this reform," he said.

Subsequently, due to Liberty HealthShare repricing partnerships, Antonio received six bills that were repriced to a fair amount.

"That seemed very reasonable to me," he noted. "Three of the bills were shared right away, and so far, the hospital hasn't pursued balance billing." However, Antonio is currently allowing an HST Patient Advocate to continue negotiating $6,300 of balance bills sent by other providers and he looks forward to learning how this process is conducted so he can share his experience with other Liberty HealthShare members.”

Antonio has found that when he calls Liberty HealthShare, the customer service experience is refreshing compared to his experience with traditional insurance.

"It's a night-and-day difference between calling an insurance company," he said. "Liberty HealthShare representatives respond promptly, and they are incredibly kind and eager to help you right away. It feels like I'm dealing with a caring human being rather than someone reading robotically from a script so as to avoid litigation and excessively reimbursing me."

The Monterrosa family remains committed to membership with Liberty HealthShare. "I have infinitely more faith in Jesus than insurance companies," he stated. "I’ve never hesitated to continue my membership with Liberty HealthShare. Their leadership changes, sharing program adjustments, and changes in how medical expenses are handled have bolstered my confidence that financial stability is achievable. Continuing my membership is by far my best option."