And fuck my former employer for not being aware of this implication and sending me forms and continuity applications that showed my domestic partner as being eligible for the subsidized rate.
$340/month is not trivial when making big decisions after being laid off. We made many decisions based on our understanding that that $340 would not need to be spent on continuing my partner’s health care coverage.
We’ve been challenging the higher-than-expected rate on our Cobra bills from the beginning, but it has taken 2 months for someone to give us a clear answer, and our clear answer is that we owe them more money for the past 2 months and can look forward to the privilege of paying them more money (in the form of a gay tax) than had been previously explained to us going forward.
And a preemptive fuck you to the next friend, family member, co-worker, or stranger on the street who tells me that they are tired of ‘the gay debate’ and why don’t we give it a rest for just one election cycle.
Yes, let’s get rid of the debate by just treating adults like adults regardless of what/who they do in the bedroom. I hear them about how tiring the debate is, but its tiring because we even have to debate about it. Just treat everyone the same and mind your own fucking business.
It doesn’t cost me quite that, but I’ve had $100 a month gay tax for having my SO on my insurance. It sucks. At least California doesn’t charge me too.
Are gay men any more statistically likely to become ill or require specialized care more than the average straight guy? Is there a chance this is purely an “insurance company statistics” issue and not some obscure form of prejudice?
We’re lezzies. And this is all DOMA. It has nothing to do with the insurance carrier or my former employer, except their need to revise some of their communications to prepare their gay or otherwise domestically-partnered employees for reality.
Like she said, it’s DOMA. Part of the stimulus bill provides a subsidy for people on COBRA. This includes the unemployed person who is getting COBRA and his or her spouse. However, even though some COBRA plans recognize same sex spouses and domestic partners, the stimulus bill doesn’t, so the same sex spouse/domestic partner of someone covered by COBRA doesn’t get the subsidy and has to pay the full price.
Well that’s just weird. From what I can tell, lesbians don’t have the same sexual risks that gay men are potentially exposed to, so I can’t understand why you and your partner’s coverage would differ from anyone else’s.
ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies - Does your partner work? If they don’t work and you are the only breadwinner in the house, you can look into having your partner be a Tax Qualified Dependent. This is a loophole in the tax code that treats them identical to a child dependent.
She is working part time and interviewing for other part time jobs, but the job she has and most of the jobs she’s looking into do not extend health benefits to part-time employees. She’s a composer trying to get a home-based business off the ground and spends the rest of her time composing and building her portfolio.
Its funny (strange, not ha-ha) how government in not so subtle ways attempts to influence our behavior through taxation or other monetary obstacles, a decision they make for us that I’d rather they didn’t. I’m utterly liberal on this issue, even if I’m of a conservative (NOT Republican!) bent in many other ways, even though apparently the true values of conservatism have sailed away long ago, sadly.
To quote Bill Maher, “Government through taxation, tells me that children and churches are good, and alcohol and cigarettes are bad…and I couldn’t disagree more. I’d rather sit next to a smoker than a child…”
I understand your pain and frustration. Look on the bright side though. Do you have any idea how much being straight is costing me?
Wives are not cheap. I’ll bet they are expensive than domestic partners. Plus, I started off with one women, and now I have three!
Your safe, being gay. Did you know that if you have sex with a women she will multiply? They’re like bacteria. Have sex with a women and suddenly your house is full of all these new people that you are responsible for.
I had a roommate who was a bit of a slacker and I ended up supporting him for a while. I guess on the cost side of things that’s probably equivalent to being gay. He just kind of leeched off my pizza and beer, and didn’t help with the rent.
I thought that sucked until my wife had a baby. Jesus Christ are they expensive! Then later they want toys, and then clothes, and then schooling.
I could support a legion of gay guys, have my own private army for the cost of just one of my daughters.
So, yes. What you are going through is unfair. I understand that, and there is no excuse for it. But I think I spent more on diapers per month than you’re bitching about.
It isn’t a matter of the insurance company, it’s how our relationships are treated under federal law. For example in my case, my employer covers 100% of my partners insurance. The cost to me is that the federal government doesn’t recognize our relationship and considers the market value of his coverage to be taxable income to me.
