Employers’ Policies on Health Coverage for Domestic Partners Vary

Obtaining health insurance from an employer for a same-sex domestic partner can be a challenge, despite more states taking steps to legalize same-sex marriage, the New York Times reports. Employers who are self-insured are not regulated by states and can decide to offer domestic partner benefits, regardless if a state does not recognize same-sex marriage. More companies do offer domestic partner benefits -- one-third of companies with 500 or more employees do so now, compared with 12% in 2000 (Konrad, New York Times, 5/9).