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Health Insurance Options for your Significant Other

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In many places today, health insurance is not just limited to married persons and one’s dependants anymore. An individual with a domestic partner can be covered, as well. This includes persons of the opposite sex as well in many states persons of the same sex. This allows those people who have chose to not be married to provide health care benefits to their partners. This can be very hard in some states that refuse to recognize any other type of relationship other than marriage between a man and a woman. But now laws are being passed that will either allow same sex couples to get legally married or allow them to be recognized and get the same benefits under the term domestic partner. Many people choose to not get legally married, but should still have the right to have the same type of benefits as married couples. There are some cities and states that have laws that ensure that this coverage is available to the people in those communities. You will want to contact your local government and ask if any laws in this regard apply to you and your living arrangement. Make sure to find out if the policies are for just same sex partners or also include partners of the opposite sex.

Obtaining one of these insurance policies might prove to be a daunting task. Most work related insurance policies don’t offer this extension of benefits to their employees. So far it is not required for employers to do this either. So you will need to look for private companies with in your state and see if and which ones offer this benefit and it is at a decent cost. Some states actually do have laws in place to ensure domestic partners are covered and employers must offer this to all employees as long as they have over 50 people working for them. Smaller companies with less than 50 employees sometimes choose to not even carry insurance as a benefit. They don't get the reduced rates because their employee numbers are too low. The best option is private companies for most people in this situation. Remember insurance is a business and broadening its market base bring the company more money, so more than likely they will find something for you.

If you do find a policy, make sure you look it over carefully. Know what the policy covers and doesn’t before buying it. Make sure that if you need any specific criteria met prior to purchase that you have done so and have proof. Some policies require that you live together and have been together for a minimum time period. They also might want to know if you are fully supporting this person and/or if they qualify for health benefits through somewhere else. Sometime a joint bank account is also required to prove that you are mutually sharing living expenses and have access to each other’s money. You want to make sure that the policy works for you and your partner and will cover all the needs you both have. Make sure that the plan is affordable as well. If the price is outrageous and the plan stinks, then it would be better to just purchase a single plan that just covers the other person.

This is not an easy task for most people. Even states that require employers and private insurance companies to provide domestic partner insurance still try to find loopholes to not have to. What people are failing to see is that morality and ethics are not supposed to keep a person from obtaining medical coverage for themselves and their partner, regardless of whether or not they are married or the same sex. Last time I checked that was discrimination. What is going to happen as society keeps broadening its horizons on what constitutes a relationship is many companies are going to find themselves in lawsuits. One would think it would be cheaper just to offer the insurance plan. Once the realization that our country is changing its perspective has set in one would hope the intelligent people will make sure that all people can get affordable health care benefits that fit their families needs. The point of health care is to keep you healthy, not keep you legally married.