There was much debate before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) a.k.a. Obamacare became law in March 2010. The ACA was passed into law in March 2010 as a vehicle for people to obtain affordable health insurance. The law also expanded Medicaid’s coverage. Since its passage, the ACA has been a contested bi-partisan issue between Democrat and Republican lawmakers. That debate only escalated once President Obama left office, as the Trump administration, Republican members of Congress, and several “red” states in the country have pushed to dismantle the law.
A study conducted by researchers from the University of Kansas revealed that one of the benefits of the ACA is that it may be responsible for lowering the divorce rate, particularly for those couples on Medicaid who normally would have filed for a “medical divorce.”
How Did ACA Reduce Divorce?
Researchers discovered that states which expanded their Medicaid programs under the ACA law had an almost six percent decrease in divorce for people between the ages of 50 to 64 years of age, compared to states which did not implement Medicaid expansion.
A medical divorce often occurs between couples when one spouse becomes ill with a degenerative disease – such as early-onset dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis – which could end up wiping out all of the couple’s assets in order to cover medical costs. It is not uncommon for couples in these situations to file for divorce in order for the spouse who is sick to qualify for Medicaid.
Under the ACA, the Medicaid expansion covers adults 64 years or younger up to 138 percent of the poverty level regardless of what assets they have. This means that couples do not have to divorce in order to preserve their savings and retirement accounts in order for the sick spouse to receive the benefit.
Uncontested Divorce
Whether a couple files for divorce due to the medical situation of one spouse or because they both agreed that the marriage is no longer viable, an uncontested divorce still needs the oversight of an experienced divorce attorney. Even in the friendliest of divorces, there are important decisions that need to be made like child custody and division of assets. In the case of a medical divorce, there are important legal decisions that will also require the guidance of a knowledgeable family law attorney.
Let a Divorce Attorney Advocate for You
If you have made the decision to divorce your spouse, contact a skilled attorney, like a divorce lawyer from the Law Office of Daniel Wright. You need to ensure that you have the best representation possible no matter what the reasons for ending your marriage are. Call a law firm for an initial consultation.
