Domestic Partner Health Insurance Coverage

Effective July 10, 2004, the New Jersey Domestic Partnership Act gives domestic partners certain rights and benefits accorded to married couples under the laws of NJ.

If you work for a large company, your company health insurance plan may or may not have offered benefits to domestic partners. If you worked for a small company in NJ, less than 50 employees, domestic partner coverage was not an option. Now it is.

The Law does NOT require the employer to offer domestic partner coverage. However, he/she may choose to offer it. If so, with respect to health insurance, the Law applies to same-sex domestic partners age 18 or older

Most insurance carriers will want a letter from the employer, on company letterhead, stating that they wish to extend benefits to its employees’ domestic partners. Some health insurance carriers will also extend the benefit to the children of the domestic partners.

Proof of eligibility is important and varies from insurance carrier to insurance carrier. Horizon BCBSNJ wants proof if the last names are different. If the domestic partnership was formed in NJ, Horizon will only accept the NJ State-issued Certificate of Domestic Partnership as proof that a domestic partnership has been formed. If a domestic partnership, civil union or reciprocal beneficiary relationship was entered into outside of NJ, similar legal documentation will be required.

Someone asked if Medicare would provide benefits for domestic partners. The answer is no. Medicare does not provide spousal coverage. It is ALWAYS issued in the name of the insured. For example, a husband has his coverage and a wife has her coverage. They do not share the same policy. The same rule applies for domestic partners that are Medicare eligible.

Irene Card & Betsy Chandler share the responsibilities of running Medical Insurance Claims, Inc. a health insurance services company. If you have questions relative to this column or other related topics, we invite you to call (973) 492-2828, browse our past columns on our web site at www.micinsurance.com.

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