On Bended Knee, With a Very Low Copay

[Are_grits_groceries]

Most of my girlfriends who have received a marriage proposal told me they had a sneaking suspicion it was coming. I, however, was completely blindsided when my boyfriend proposed marriage so that I could receive health care on his plan. I had never considered marrying someone for insurance. Love? Yes. Children? Sure. Health care? Not so much.

The proposal from Brian was all business. It went something like this: "We could sign a prenup, go down to City Hall and get a marriage certificate. It's just a piece of paper."

Talk about unromantic. I knew that people married for many reasons, but when did matrimony become a way to scheme our busted health-care system? I always imagined that marriage encompassed values like commitment, love, and companionship—not $30 copays and in-network doctors. I wasn't sure how serious Brian was, so I asked him to clarify his offer. "Is this something you'd seriously consider?" I asked.
<snip>
I knew part of the reason Brian made his offer. All of the news reports of layoffs and rising unemployment had left me worried about what would happen if I were next in line to lose my job, and with it, my health care. Like many of my friends, I had coasted by without insurance at times, but two years ago that option became impossible for me: I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The illness was unexpected, and a rude awakening to the exorbitant medical costs sick people can face.

It isn't cheap to suppress an overactive immune system; the injections I give myself every other day to slow down the progression of my illness can cost thousands of dollars a year, but the prices vary depending on one's insurance. I can't trade down or bargain-shop my way through the MRIs, steroids, doctor visits, and copays. And unless a brilliant scientist has an "aha moment" and comes up with a cure for MS, my life will be a series of costly treatments and doctor appointments
http://www.newsweek.com/id/216936?from=rss

Young love.................

[uppityperson]

1. It has happened for a long time, also elderly NOT marrying so as to not lose income

It is always wise to sign a pre-nupt and to be clear with the other person. "Marriage", legally, is a legal partnership, defining who owns what and how things are shared.

[merh]

8. My uncle wouldn't marry his love because he didn't his medical

bills to be her concern and neither wanted the marriage to impact their incomes.

He struggled with lung cancer for two years and it eventually spread to his brain. The medical treatments were extensive, the costs exorbitant. He died this past May with her by his side. She never left his side. She took him to his appointments, she took care of him, she loved him and in their hearts, they were married.

She is an aunt to me even though legally, she was just a friend.

[laughingliberal]

2. LOL! I married my husband so I could put him on my health insurance

We had actually been living together for 3 years and were not kids when his insurance premiums went so high we could not afford them. He took his chances for about a year when I started noticing some serious problems with the circulation in his legs. My proposal: I guess we're going to have to get married so I can put you on my health insurance. His answer: I guess that'd be okay. Romantic, huh? Anyway, that was 7 years ago and I lost my job 2 years ago so we're both without insurance. Guess it's a good thing we were happy together anyway. Maybe we could put ourselves up for adoption now.

[dsc]

3. and for the true horror

imagine that instead of a man and a woman it was a man and a man. Then they couldn't get married and get the benefits.

[Brigid]

4. Only in America.

Sounds like something out of a Michael Moore movie. :eyes:

[jwirr]

5. There is a book called "Saints and Sinners" that tells the story of

the people who came over on the Mayflower. It was common practice for these types of marriages of convenience. One I remember was a lady who's husband die while she was still waiting in Holland to come over on the next ship. One of the single men in the group married her and brought her and her children with him.

I do not get much social security and I have laughingly told my girls that if I could find some old man (older than me) who needs someone to take care of him while he dies I would marry him for his social security. They laugh. I am not so sure I am kidding.

[AnnieBW]

6. My husband and I did this in '94

We were engaged already, and he needed health insurance. So we went down to City Hall and got married early. We didn't tell any of our families, but we did tell the priest. He was cool with it.

[Are_grits_groceries]

7. I'm not judging anybody.

With the system the way it is, whatever works.

[SoCalDem]

9. A friend of mine remarried his ex when she got breast cancer

They had lived apart for a while, but like he said.. she's the mother of his kids and the grandmother to his grandkids..he could not let her die..

They are still "married" 7 years later, and each lives a separate life, but she needs his insurance.. The sad thing is that he's been with a woman he loves for about 5 years now...who has NO insurance, but she can't afford to lose her dead husband's pension... She'll be 65 in a year or so, and is praying she can hang on until she gets medicare..

what a country:(

[aikoaiko]

10. Nothing new. Marriage has always had compelling financial implications.

...for a lot of people including health care.

[TicketyBoo]

11. There are worse reasons

to get married.