Many women in Washington know that among the impacts that a divorce can have on an individual is the loss of medical insurance. In fact, one recent study reports that more women suffer such an insurance loss than men hen a marriage ends in divorce. This loss can lead to financial difficulties for a woman, and many turn to Medicaid for help.
According to the report, the federal Medicaid program offered assistance to 5.6 percent of women prior to a divorce. After a marriage ends, the number of those assisted rises to 10.3 percent. Medicaid is a medical insurance care program intended to assist people, in Washington and elsewhere, who are unable to afford to pay for medical insurance.
In fact, when women get a divorce, they are more likely to suffer financial difficulties across the board, according to the report. However, the loss of medical coverage can be particularly disconcerting for some. This may be due to the fact that a person without medical insurance is less likely to seek care when they are sick, thus increasing the likelihood of a costly medical issue.
The impacts of a divorce can be varied. For some in our state and elsewhere, losing medical insurance can be one of the issues faced as they go through the dissolution process. Though it is not often an option for such a person to negotiate a continued payment for medical insurance from a former spouse, the recent report indicates that such a demand has become more common in recent divorce proceedings.