No one should stay in an unhappy marriage because they don’t want to lose the health insurance coverage they receive under their spouse’s plan. Unfortunately, too many Floridians have done that — particularly those with pre-existing medical conditions who feared that they wouldn’t qualify for a new insurance policy.
Fortunately, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, it’s illegal for an insurance company to deny someone coverage because of a current or previous medical condition. A divorce may qualify you to apply for coverage under the ACA at any time.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily solve everyone’s problem. They may not be able to keep their current insurer. For some people, the cost of getting the level of insurance they’ve been used to may be prohibitive. The cost of staying on your spouse’s plan through COBRA may also be prohibitive.
At Sheldon E. Finman, P.A., we help divorcing couples work out issues of health care coverage. We specialize in cooperative and collaborative divorce. In these types of divorces, couples work together to dissolve their marriage in a manner that’s respectful and fair to both. By avoiding a contentious, litigated divorce, they can save stress, time and money. If they have children, it’s best for them to see their parents working amicably to reach a settlement that will help them move forward as co-parents whose focus is on the well-being of their children.
If you or one of your children are suffering from a chronic illness or other medical condition that would make a change or interruption in insurance coverage problematic, we can help you work with your spouse and his or her attorney to help ensure that necessary medical care and coverage is continued. The same is true if your spouse is currently on your health insurance plan.
We realize that health insurance may not be at the top of most people’s concerns when going through a divorce. However, even if you and your family are all healthy, you never know if and when you may need it to cover an unexpected illness or injury. That’s why it should be one of the issues addressed during the divorce.
We have experience helping divorcing Florida couples deal with health insurance issues. Call or contact us online for more information on how we can help you.
