In Sickness and in Health Insurance

Medicare for All

Today we're talking about the relationship between taking your vows and taking your medicine. In 2020, more than a quarter of folks who got married said they took the plunge because one of the partners involved needed health insurance, and it seems like some couples are staying together for the insurance as well. In this episode we’ll break down how our healthcare system is set up to get us paired up and how Medicare for All could save you a trip down the aisle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQdctwkzwNA Show Notes Trigger Warning: On today’s episode, we’re also going to be discussing some of the dark side of marriage, including domestic violence, which we know is a topic that can raise some traumatic feelings in survivors and might not be appropriate for any kids you have in the room. Of course, we also want to remind you that if you or someone you love needs help with a DV situation, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233) to find resources in your area. People Don't Really Get Married for the Health Insurance Do They? A survey by Affordablehealthinsurance.com found that 26% of American couples married in 2020 said they got hitched because their partner needed the insurance. This number spiked in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 7.7 million people lost their jobs and had to find an alternative source of health insurance. We can’t assume people ONLY got married for the insurance, but a life-altering event like COVID and the associated economic turmoil probably sped up their timelines to the altar In that same survey, 28% of respondents making less than $50,000 a year reported they did so for the insurance. Overall income brackets are a factor here. Sometimes people do this not because they lost a job, but because their employer’s insurance changed/decided to skimp on coverage (check out this reddit story and subsequent comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/relationship_advice/comments/okjhck/married_for_insurance/) How does getting married impact access to health insurance? Marriage changes how you qualify for health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Once you're married, your combined income determines if you are eligible for help. As a couple, you can earn a joint income of up to 400% of the federal poverty level, or $69,680, to qualify for premium subsidies. If you earn more than $69,680, you might qualify for an extended subsidy that limits your insurance cost to no more than 8.5% of your household income. The extended subsidy is in effect through 2025. Family deductibles (and out-of-pocket costs) tend to be about twice as much as those for individuals The Kaiser Family Foundation found that on average, health spending by families with large-employer health plans has increased two times faster than workers’ wages over the past decade. More costs have been pushed onto employees in the form of deductibles Interestingly, in that same survey mentioned before, 69% of the couples married in 2020 for health insurance said they wished they could have stayed on separate plans! Likely because of costs. The stories of people getting married for health insurance (and love) are on the rise. Some examples: In 2020, journalist Francesca Fontana wrote about her story of marrying her boyfriend so they could subsidize his autoimmune disease care costs (WSJ): https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-married-him-for-loveand-so-he-could-be-on-my-health-insurance-11602861266 Another story from Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/MomForAMinute/comments/qeesjo/gonna_marry_my_best_friend_for_health_insurance/ So your employer has control over your family's health insurance. What could go wrong? According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (by AHRQ) Insurance Component survey, in 2021: 98.1% of private-sector employees worked for an employer that offers SOME dependent coverage