After Divorce, Women Risk Losing Health Insurance

Almost half of all U.S. marriages now end in divorce, but what happens after all the papers are signed and the property is sold?

A new study out of the University of Michigan finds that many women lose their health insurance after divorce.

Using 11 years of Census data, lead researcher Bridget Lavelle looked at health insurance levels before and after a divorce. She found that around 16 percent of women lose their health insurance within six months of divorce and live without it for another two years.

Other Key Findings

Lavelle found that the women who have the highest chance of losing their insurance are those who have too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to purchase private coverage.