Those seeking health insurance coverage before the Dec. 15 open enrollment deadline for the Affordable Care Act should explore their options carefully, alumna Mara Smith, ’17, wrote in an essay in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The essay, “Love in the Time of Open Enrollment: Should you Marry for Health Insurance,” offers step-by-step advice for obtaining the best coverage.

The sticker price is not the only consideration, Smith advises, noting that plans calculate annual deductible requirements differently and that some premiums are kept low through “narrow networks” that bar access to some hospitals.

An associate at Montgomery McCracken, Smith noted that a thorough examination of her personal options revealed that she and her fiancé would save money if he obtained his own coverage rather than rushing their wedding date so that he could gain it through her employer.

Smith, who was an associate editor with the Drexel Law Review, completed a concentration in Health Law.