Marriage should be a right, not a requirement
Now that same-sex couples can marry in Connecticut, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says that domestic partners of state employees “will not enjoy the health benefit and pension rights they have after Nov. 30, 2009, unless they either enter into a civil union or marry.”
There are so many problems here. First, health care should not depend on one’s relationship or employment status. Ideally, every individual would have equal affordable permanent health insurance in her/his own name. Until we achieve universal health coverage, employers that are willing to cover employees’ families should cover anyone whom an employee designates as family. And, people should be able to bequeath their pensions to any economic dependents, or anyone they choose.
AtMP saw and opposed a similar situation in Massachusetts in 2004. Of course we will send a strong protest to CT as well. We really want to hear from CT state employees who may be affected by this wrong-headed policy.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I think this is a good example of why marriage is the wrong answer. If the question is “how can a person who is not employed get affordable health care?” The answer should not be “marriage,” but rather universal health care.