Health insurance an important consideration during divorce

The emotional and financial aspects of a marital breakup can easily overwhelm the person going through it. A particular concern when it comes to finances during divorce is determining how to handle health insurance. A couple of tips may help with addressing medical insurance following the dissolution of a marriage in Massachusetts.

In many situations, one spouse serves as the chief policyholder on the family’s health insurance coverage. During divorce, there is a grace period for the policyholder or both parties to secure new coverage via separate policies. It is critical for the policyholder to speak with his or her employer to determine when his or her next open enrollment period will be.

If two divorcing spouses do not have health insurance sponsored by an employer, they will have to research their individual options. In addition, it may behoove them to consider adding coverage that they previously did not need. For instance, counseling coverage for the children might be handy to add during the difficult transition that comes with divorce.

The more that two divorcing spouses can find common ground when it comes to finances, child custody and other divorce issues, the more amicable their divorce proceeding may be. The spouses can work toward a mutually beneficial settlement agreement and even generate a parenting agreement through mediation or informal negotiations — increasingly popular alternatives to divorce litigation. A family law attorney in Massachusetts can help a spouse who is going through a marital breakup to ultimately pursue an outcome that will be in his or her best interests long term.