I’m assuming this solution was as serious as the joining the National Guard one. Sometimes it can be even suckier when your job provides health benefits but the plans aren’t good. Then you’re in the same boat as [me and] the OP if you want to insure yourself otherwise. And I can speak from personal experience that marrying someone with health insurance does not work out well all the time, it can sometimes be even more expensive than opting to insure yourself through the marketplace regardless of if the premiums come out of their paycheck before taxes.