Insuring Our Future - The Quest for Health Care in Montana

by Heather Moore

Last year it looked like I might have to cut my educational plans short when I ran out of financial aid. Although this was unexpected, it was even more distressing because I was having medical problems. I had planned to sign up for the student Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan the next semester, in order to determine the nature of my medical situation. However, my plans were thwarted.

At that time (Summer, 1997), the legally married spouse of any full-time UM student had access to Student Health Services (SHS) for a modest fee. In using SHS, spouses could receive health care that was free or of minimal cost. My partner, Minikin, a full-time student, could not enroll me into this program. Despite our having been married for several years, UM did not recognize our relationship.

Minikin decided to insist on our right to have the same access to medical benefits at SHS as other students. After a few months of research, dialogues, memorandums and waiting, SHS approved the inclusion of domestic partners in their policy. Students have access to two forms of insurance, the SHS plan and an additional Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy. Although UM students can now register domestic partners for SHS benefits, they still do not have access to the spousal Blue Cross/Blue Shield option.

I did not need to utilize the domestic partner benefit option at SHS because I was able to complete my education at UM and get my own Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy for this year. Even though I did not use it, I was glad that the option to add the SHS policy was available for other students. It taught us an important lesson: Don't hesitate to fight for justice.

Most companies do not advertise the specifics of their policies, i.e., whether they support domestic partnerships. Blue Cross/Blue Shield is an excellent case in point. Although my partner also looked into changing UM's Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy to include domestic partners, Blue Cross/Blue Shield refused, stating that such coverage was illegal in Montana. In fact, it is only the recognition of gay/lesbian marriage that is illegal, not domestic partner coverage. There are many companies in America that provide domestic partner benefits; Blue Cross/Blue Shield is one of them, offering domestic partner coverage in several states, but not Montana. Therefore, the information that Blue Cross/Blue Shield gave out is not true.

Many insurance companies do not announce whether they have pre-written policies that support domestic partnerships. One important reason why is because policies are customized for each client, whether the client is an individual or a business. Although each insurance company has their own customs, many will work to create a policy that meets both the client and the provider's needs.

No medical insurance provider is 'illness-friendly.' They don't make money paying medical bills; they pay as little as possible. When their customers get ill, especially with a long-term illness like AIDS, providers often are driven to attempt non-payment. There is currently a federal law that mandates insurance companies continue to supply benefits even if the client becomes seriously ill during a period of coverage. Additionally, an insurance company must offer to continue the insurance policy if you leave your employer while covered.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a great insurance provider for yourself and your domestic partner, a recent issue of The Advocate (April 14, 1998) points out a potential downfall to having a supportive policy. Because a domestic partner is not legally equivalent to a spouse in the U.S., money spent on health insurance (for the partner, not the employee) is reported on the employee's W-2 as taxable income, not as a deductible health insurance benefit.

The moral of the story is if you want to have a queer-friendly insurance policy, you may have to create or request one. If your insurance provider does not currently have inclusive domestic partner policies, a suggestion from you may be all it takes to change the status quo. The employer can then instruct the insurance company what they need and it's the insurance provider's responsibility to design a policy that fits those needs.

A multitude of private businesses and even the federal government (Clinton's February 1998 directive banning health care discrimination based on sexual orientation) are coming out with health insurance policies that support domestic partner benefits. Why is this happening now? Because somebody asked for it. Because somebody was not afraid to seek out justice. Talk to your insurance provider. Talk to your employer. The right to justice and fair treatment is a right that we all have, and it is worth working for.