Healthcare after a divorce later in life is one of the most prominent concerns involved with dissolving a marriage. As soon as you know that your marriage is ending, you can take steps to protect your existing health coverage and begin the process of looking for future coverage.

Protect Yourself from a Sudden End to Existing Coverage

If you are concerned that your current or soon-to-be ex-spouse will fail to pay the premiums on your coverage or ultimately drop it, you need to consult with your Arizona family attorney as soon as possible so that you can protect your insurance to the best extent. If you believe that you will need private health insurance once your divorce is concluded, start the process of finding the right policy immediately.  You will be entitled to continue coverage, at your own expense, on y our former spouse’s insurance policy (presuming it is provided through their employer) through COBRA.  You have a short window of time post-Decree to elect that coverage and it can be expensive.

Getting New Coverage: Tips

It does take time to analyze the different policy options and determine what is most appropriate for you, so do not hesitate to initiate this search even if you have not yet lost other coverage. There are many different types of individual healthcare plans available on the market such as HMO plans; catastrophic plans; umbrella plans; preferred provider plans; plans with greater coverage; lower-price plans that have limited physician or hospital access; and plans with no co-pays, no waiting periods, or deductibles. You can find information about these various plans through a website for an insurance company or a major purchasing group. The Affordable Care Act marketplace is also a resource for investigating options for insurance.

You’ll want to evaluate several different components of the plan, including covered expenses, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance, and whether or not you can stick with any providers that you are already working with. Having the basics of your research completed before you are dropped from another policy allows you to take swift action if, and when, you do need to initiate additional healthcare coverage.

You may even consider working with an attorney to discuss other healthcare planning, such as your end-of-life care, as well. The process of getting divorced presents some unique opportunities for your planning across the board, and you will also want to consider updating all your beneficiary and other documents in order to align them with your new needs.

When contemplating divorce later in life, it might be a good idea to consult with an Arizona family attorney to walk through your options first.

 

This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice regarding Healthcare After a Divorce Later in Life, or other family law issues, please feel free to contact Lindsay A.M. Olivarez at 480.461.5300, log on to udallshumway.com, or contact an attorney in your area. Udall Shumway PLC is located in Mesa, Arizona and is a full service law firm. We assist Individuals, families, businesses, schools and municipalities in Mesa and the Phoenix/East Valley.