Insurance

In a new poll, many Americans claim that they or someone in their household got married in order to get healthcare coverage. The poll, released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 7% of people surveyed said they or someone in their home decided to tie the knot to get health insurance.

Paying for Health Insurance a Struggle for Many

Paying for health insurance is a major struggle for many individuals and families right now. So the idea of getting married to save money on healthcare is really not so farfetched. According to Business Week, health insurance premiums have gone through the roof in the last eight years (Mozes, Alan. “Health Insurance Premiums Skyrocket” Business Week, April 2008.) Business Week reports that paying for health insurance through an employer-sponsored healthcare plan jumped by 30% from 2001-2005, while salaries increased by only 3%.

Buying Healthcare Coverage a Challenge

Going back to the Kaiser Family Foundation poll, the results found that buying healthcare coverage is becoming an even bigger concern in America. Of people surveyed, three in 10 said that they or their families struggle to pay for health insurance. 37% surveyed said that they report having some sort of financial trouble related to paying for medical bills, including medical bills going to collections, trouble with paying other bills and bankruptcy.