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Benefits June 11, 2001
Maine Health Insurers Must Cover Domestic Partners
June 11, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A new Maine law
will require health insurers and HMOs in the state to offer
coverage to domestic partners under the same terms/conditions
as for spouses of married health plan members.
Reported by Nevin E. Adams
The bill, signed into law by Governor Angus King on June 1, will extend the coverage requirements beginning next January, according to the Bureau of National Affairs Labor Report.
The new law defines “domestic partner” as a:
- mentally competent adult
- legally domiciled with the health plan member for at least 12 months
- not legally married or legally separated from another individual
- the sole partner of the health plan member.
Insurers can require documentation from policyholders and their domestic partners, including signed affidavits. And after terminating a domestic partnership, a health plan member may not enroll a new member for at least 12 months.