by KYW's Ian Bush

A recent study finds a small but surprising number of couples are tying the knot, not just for love, but also for insurance.   

Seven percent of adults polled by the Kaiser Family Foundation said someone in their household had married over the last year -- the timing primarily for health benefits.

Jack Newhouse chairs the health services department at St. Joseph's University. He says getting hitched for health insurance is due to its hefty price tag:

"It's becoming a contributory point of decision-making for many individuals and simply because the costs are so high and their financial exposure would be so great if you did not have it. The individual concerned is considering this a major decision point for personal issues."

It's even playing a role in divorce. Newhouse says more and more folks won't make their split formal so they can hold on to those valuable benefits.