In addition to standard private health insurance, many people are covered to some extent by their employers. This coverage is typically basic, as it has as its intention to be available to the widest number of employees. It will also not be specific to the individual - insurance companies are able to make money on policies such as these by making them as similar and simple as possible. Still, a group health insurance policy can be a great way for an employee to cover their basic health care needs, and in many cases, this insurance can be extended to a spouse or family as well. While this can be of benefit to a spouse, working or not, there are several things to bear in mind before choosing to use a spouse health insurance policy.

The first is that in many cases, the coverage is simply "split" between the two spouses. Typically, the premium will increase, but the total amount of coverage and yearly maximum may not increase by much if at all. While this kind of spouse health insurance can provide immediate relief for a family that does not have other health insurance policy options, it can be very limited in what it offers. In addition, it is possible that an employee may be fired or downsized, resulting in a loss of coverage. While COBRA legislation allows employees to remain covered for a period of up to 18 months so long as they were not dismissed for gross misconduct or criminal activity, the entirety of the monthly premium will be on the employee, with no further subsidization from the employer, and this can be quite expensive.

In addition, a spouse who is working may wish to consider simply staying under their own plan or obtaining an individual policy. Often, plans can be made to work together to mitigate the cost of things such as prescription drugs and ongoing treatments. By having a second plan in a home, be it individual or group-based health insurance, a family can help to ensure that they are covered in any event. This second coverage can also be used as spouse health insurance if one of the spouses is laid off or let go.

While spouse health insurance is not a viable option for everyone, it can provide a significant short-term benefit for those families with only one spouse working or where there is no other option for access to a health insurance policy. Thought it will not be as robust as individual health insurance, it can help to ease the burden on a family for the cost of medical care and basic treatment needs for both spouses.