Disabled Americans Are Punished for Getting Married

Millions of disabled US citizens can't get married without being penalized by the government, putting them at risk of losing their income and healthcare. This penalty has caused many couples to put their marriage plans on indefinite hold.

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[khanyikuzwayo]

“Marriage isn’t for everyone but everyone should have the option.” Summed maybe the entire world up perfectly!

[zlpatriot]

I am a disabled 29 year old man, I live in constant fear of losing my Medicaid and SSI. Although I am single, the threat of these penalties have me very weary of getting married. The rules are outdated, do not account for cost of living, or inflation. Gabriella, good luck with your BAR exam and life with the man you deserve. Proud of you!

[tinkergnomad]

Not having our own money as disabled people is one of the biggest factors driving the statistics that disabled people are drastically more likely to be in an abusive relationship, and not be able to leave. We can't leave if the government forces us into financial dependance on a partner who turns abusive.
I'm disabled and was penalized for my now husband's income before we ever got married. We got married because it was already made clear I wouldn't receive any money because he made too much. I am 💯 financially dependant on him, and he has hit me in the past.

[triciac.]

I saw this happen to my cousin. Her boyfriend also is disabled with a full time care giver required, while she requires a part time care giver. If they get married, they would lose all their care giver. Makes no sense.

[jetziiophelia]

People who live with disabilities are treated horribly in too many ways and it is infuriating.!

[goodcommunitylife]

I am disabled myself, and it is very sad and pathetic that the American government wants people with disabilities to live in poverty and not live like everybody else!

[itspsychi]

Getting married as a disabled person is such a huge risk! You are no longer able to get gov help and then you are financial trapped with a partner.. That can be DANGEROUS with some marriages. Laws need to change. Thanks for making this video Vice.

[Mr.E]

This is exactly what happened to my wife as soon as we got married. She suffers from debilitating epilepsy. As her husband I make a "decent" living as an auto mechanic. As soon as we got married, she was stripped of her Medicaid. So now being a 1 income home, we are forced to live paycheck to paycheck in a country rocked by inflation since COVID. Add to that a high deductible health insurance that cost about $500 a month and barely covers anything. We have to spend $10, 000 before coverage kicks (each year). This country is BEYOND FUCKED! That's why the middle class is being squeezed out of existence. Most days I feel disgusted to be an American and like most Americans I have zero faith in our political system.

[FruityVeggieHead]

Wild to me how many people in the comments think disabled people haven’t thought of just living together instead of getting legally married. Newsflash people, that’s also grounds to lose your benefits

[BigBeansly]

I'm disabled as well as my husband. He almost lost his foot to infection and was allowed no weight bearing while undergoing skin grafts and limb saving treatments which lasted 10 months. I have an autoimmune condition that many days makes it difficult or impossible to shower, brush my hair, prepare meals, shop, etc. I had to take him 3x week for treatments, 1-1/2 hour round trip, appointments sometimes lasted a couple hours, had to get his wheelchair in and out of our vehicle as well as push the wheelchair. Had to administer IV antibiotics, 2x day. MY responsibilities were tremendous, even for an able bodied person. But because I could drive, he didn't qualify for part time assistance even though it was temporary.

I was healthy and worked until I was 40, my husband did even longer and was self-employed when he got injured. We wiped out our savings and retirement funds mostly on uncovered medical expenses. Listen, I'm grateful for what we do receive and at the same time struggle with what we don't. Most people assume we're lazy, unmotivated, scamming the gov't of tax payers' hard earned money and lovin' it up. Far from the truth. I get that there are people who scam the gov't, but they are few. Those who need extra help are the one penalized.

So, people don't get married so they can keep their benefits. Is it saving the gov't money? No. So if those same people get married but lose no benefits, is it costing the gov't any more than if they weren't married? No. So how can anyone dismiss a disabled person's right to get married as "just a piece of paper?" That piece of paper is a certificate if equality. Either you have the same rights as others or you don't. That piece of paper is the evidence.

[Subfightr]

Ugh. :( I had ulcerative colitis and constant migraines, making me super unreliable. No one understood because one look at me and I am .. was, clearly very strong and capable. I've been with my girlfriend for 24 years now, since we were 14. Everyone always asking "Jesus dude when you gonna get married?" The way society looks at you when you've been together for that long and still not married. I felt terrible for her. I never married her because I loved her. I knew as things got worse and worse we would just be in CONSTANT medical debit

I knew the day would come when the medications wouldn't cut it and I'd lose my large intestine. I lost my entire large intestine almost 1 full year spent in hospital. 9 surgeries later and I'm still not finished, I'll never be finished, it's always something. I'm lucky that medicare covers this at all. But I feel terrible for my girlfriend. To even call her my girlfriend seems like it implies she's not as special since she's not my wife.

[gothnate]

This is the very reason my sister moved out of the house at 18 years old. She has cerebral palsy and was already independent, but the topping on the cake was she could lose her measly benefits if she ever got married or lived with our parents. And by measly, I mean for the majority of her life, she was getting about $500 per month to pay bills. They finally upped it a few years ago to $700 per month. Even through all that, she managed to buy property and a mobile home, but she can't sell it or those benefits get taken. The disabled have been getting the shaft for centuries now. My sister got held back in elementary school because they thought her physical handicap meant she was dumb, too. I hope one day, she'll be treated like an actual citizen, though given the track record, she might not live to see it. She's going to be 53 years old in February.

[sherirobinson]

As a disabled person in America I can verify the system is set up to fail the disabled American. They would sooner see us die from lack of housing and medication then let us prosper into a semblance of normal life. I don't know how many people in America can afford to live under less than $900 each month unless they live in a tent under a bridge. I am at 60 years old and cannot sleep on the ground at my age or disability.
To lose my medical coverage would mean to die. This leaves me stuck in a substandard way of life to the American Norm.

[crckpdgeon]

Love how they set the income limits to where you can be homeless and also make too much money for support. They also fail to consider the cruelty of telling someone "Well, because you make $1500 a month, you get to pay thousands of dollars for healthcare on top of your $1200 rent"

[eleanor]

As a disabled person I THANK YOU for this!!

[ComradeCatpurrnicus]

It's really heartbreaking the way people with different needs are treated in society. Instead of seeing them as people with goals, passions, talents and worth, they're often treated as burdens with little to nothing of offer. We'll be a better world when we make our societies accepting, welcoming and accommodating for everyone.

[dawnmorning]

Being disabled hard enough. Let us marry.

[Novelist]

Let’s just keep it real, people are punished in America for being poor.

[Value_is_nul]

That said, good luck with your Bar exam, and we all need to keep fighting the good fight! You seem like a really sweet couple, and you deserve all the good things!

[ritamariekelley]

We Americans, red & blue, have to unite to fight for Medicare For All. You two are a power couple. Congratulations on your JD! And by now, you'll have passed the bar. You go, Girl!