After a divorce can I stay on my spouse’s health insurance?
Many people worry about how they are going to continue health insurance following a divorce. Many find that purchasing coverage through COBRA is too expensive for coverage to be continued. In New Hampshire, you may be able to stay on your spouse’s health insurance, with no increase in premiums, for up to three years.
Under NH law (RSA 415:18, VII-b) if one spouse is a member of a group health plan, the former spouse can generally continue coverage as a family member under said policy, without additional premium costs. Subject to specified limitations, this coverage can continue for up to three years.
It is important to determine whether this statute applies to your case. Many people believe they have “group health insurance” but the plan is actually an employer sponsored ERISA plan (under which ongoing coverage may not be available). To determine your rights before making a bad decision, you should speak with a family law attorney. We handle these types of cases and will provide a free consultation.
Anna Goulet Zimmerman is certified as a collaborative law attorney and is a member of both the Collaborative Law Alliance of New Hampshire and the International Association of Collaborative Law Professionals. This allows Anna to handle collaborative law cases in addition to traditional litigation.