Domestic Partners: Are you properly covered?
Categories: Health Insurance and Politics,Health Insurance,controversial issues
Tags: employee sponsored health plans health insurance same sex marriage health care coverage domestic partnerships
Many states do not legally recognize domestic partnerships unless your among the lucky people who reside in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New York, and Washington D.C. Other states such as Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine will have legalized same sex marriage by January 2010. Though these states may recognize same-sex marriage, domestic partners still face many problems. One of the main problems they have to deal with is their health insurance options.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ website gives helpful hints and special considerations for domestic partners. According to data from the American Community Survey (ACS), there are approximately 777,000 same-sex couples in the United States as of 2005.
Some tips offered by the NAIC include:
Check to see if your employer offers domestic partner benefits. With the number of partnerships increasing, more and more employers are offering domestic partner benefits. Double check with the health insurance carrier to make sure your partner is covered.
Know that if your domestic partnership ends and you had been receiving health benefits under your partner’s employer based plan, you may be entitled to COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. This allows you to keep the coverage for up to 18 months upon termination from the plan.
Some insurance companies offer domestic partner benefits. If you have an individual insurance policy, call your carrier to add a partner to your policy.
Make sure your children are covered. If you and your partner have dependent children, they may be eligible for health insurance coverage as “dependents.”
Due to state and local law governing more issues regarding domestic partnerships and same sex marriages, rather than federal law, there are many inconsistencies throughout the country regarding benefits and policies. Make sure to check with your states laws when looking for health insurance. 
I think that no matter what kind of relationship you are in, you should be able to get health insurance coverage.
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