If you are currently going through a divorce or planning a separation, don’t neglect your own health and well being by ignoring responsible health insurance measures. Specifically, if you and your spouse do not have children, then you may very likely wind up without health insurance coverage if you do not pro-actively find out how the divorce will impact your insurance benefits.
Uninsured Spouses of Divorce
If your soon-to-be ex-spouse was the primary health insurance carrier during your marriage, you have an array of options to protect yourself from the potential devastation associated with a loss of insurance. Comparatively, as millions of Americans are currently un-insured, some individuals going through a divorce struggle to cope when neither the husband nor wife held health insurance coverage. Whether or not your spouse was insured or uninsured is typically irrelevant; as individuals separating from their husband or wife can choose common pathways to protect their well being with temporary or reduced-cost health insurance plans.
The Steps to Health Insurance Protection Amidst a Divorce
- Step 1 – If you are employed, ask your human resources representative if health insurance policies are offered through your employer. If so, find out how and when you can receive coverage.
- Step 2 – If you are not employed, or if your employer does not offer health care benefits, then find out if you can continue health insurance coverage through COBRA. COBRA is considered to be a relatively affordable health insurance option for qualified individuals. Generally, COBRA is a potential option for individuals whose ex-spouse formerly acted as the primary carrier of health insurance for their husband / wife.
- Step 3 – If you are not eligible for COBRA insurance, investigate affordable emergency health insurance plans. Emergency insurance plans, also commonly referred to as short-term health insurance policies, protect individuals from experiencing a lapse in coverage. As a result, if an accident tor serious health emergency arises after one’s previous health coverage has been ceased, the emergency insurance will protect an individual from serious harm and loss. Specifically, if you are employed and your employer can provide you with coverage, then emergency plans can protect you during the time your ex-spouse’s coverage ends until your new (employer provided) coverage begins.
