The Huffington Post reported on a sad and frightening phenomenon- elderly couples forced to divorce to obtain relief from medical bills and to qualify for social security benefits.

The article details the plight of Mary McCurnin and her husband Ron Bednar. In 2003, the couple declared bankruptcy after their insurance covered only 10 percent of treatment costs for her breast cancer and his intestinal bleeding. In 2004, McCurnin's breast cancer returned, and Bednar underwent open heart surgery.

The couple is broke and unemployed. Mary, however, was previously married. Her first husband pre-deceased her and, but for the fact that she is now married to Ron, Mary would be entitled to receive her social security survivor’s benefit from her previous marriage. The Social Security Administration told her, she cannot have the survivor benefit if she's married to someone else.

So, in order to qualify for the survivor’s benefit, she is divorcing Ron.

Please see full article below for more information.