One of life's little mysteries - insurance.
Monday 26 February 2007 at 13:53.
Tags: insurance, specialists, virginia
In another chapter, I've been without health insurance for a couple of weeks now, and I'm busily searching for a policy that will not only cover my medical expenses, but also life insurance, and most importantly, a dental plan that doesn't require a transplant team to be on call for every procedure (because I'd be selling internal organs to cover the deductibles). Quite frankly, just paying for any medical procedures these days is so expensive, one would practically have to be Bill Gates to pay for anything in its entirety. Up until November of 2006, it would have been possible for Lyssa to get me onto her insurance policy (which is actually a pretty good one, save for the problems this morning that can be fixed with a referral to a different specialist) but a certain bill was passed in the last election which screws us pretty thoroughly without the benefit of lubricant unless we get married.
We are currently considering our options.
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four comments.
The text in question reads “This commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognise a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage.” This applies to medical and life insurance as well as legal status in the state of Virginia. It prevents Lyssa from adding me to her health insurance policy and vice versa until we’re married.
Now, granted, we could get married within 24 hours and start the process, but it wouldn’t kick in until the end of March 2007, which makes it pointless. To that end, I got my own insurance policy which I hope will activate shortly.
It does – the people of the state of Virginia voted to ignore that, but whether or not that particular conflict will stand in a court of law is unknown because no one’s challenged it yet.
The Doctor (Email ) (URL) - 27-02-’07 12:04
It would have to get all the way tot he US Supreme Court – back in the Clinton administration, the “Defense of Marriage” act was signed into law, stating that no state has to acknowledge another state’s marriage if it wouldn’t be allowed in their state, or somesuch. Gist of it was, two gay men get married in Massachusetts, Virginia doesn’t have to honor it.
I view said law as a violation fot he FF&C clause, but since it was an act of congress it’ll need to be ruled on by the US Supreme Court. So far, nobody has challenged it.
Hasufin - 28-02-’07 14:14
That caused some problems with Quaker marriages in the south a while ago, or so I’ve heard.
The same thing happened when the state of California briefly legalised same-sex marriage a couple of years ago.
The US Supreme court has been refusing to touch cases like this, and will probably continue to do so for the forseeable future.
The Doctor (Email ) (URL) - 01-03-’07 09:44
Am I missing something – in the text of the bill, it states that they added language making all marriages that occured outside of Virginia that don’t fit their definition of marriage null in Virginia to their constitution in 1973. I was under the impression that the Constitution of the U.S. (in Article 4, Section 2) mandates that each state recognize public acts of the other states, which would include marriage. Not that this would help your current situation.
Adept (Email ) - 27-02-’07 07:06