2001_08 | EE: Cover domestic partners, Maine insurers ordered

MANAGED CARE EXECUTIVE EDITION September 2001. ©MediMedia USA

Cover domestic partners, Maine insurers ordered

Starting in January, health insurers in Maine will be required to offer covered members benefits for domestic partners. Domestic partners will be eligible to receive benefits under the same terms as those granted to spouses of members.

The new law defines a "domestic partner" as a mentally competent adult, living with the health plan member for at least 12 months, not married or legally separated from another, and the sole partner of the member. Insurers are permitted to require members and partners to sign affidavits about their relationship. If a domestic partnership ends, coverage will not be extended to another domestic partner for at least 12 months.

Also in Maine, Gov. Angus King has authorized a study of universal health coverage for the state. Massachusetts and Oregon put similar measures before their states' voters last year; in Massachusetts, the initiative was narrowly defeated, 52 to 48 percent. Its opponents — including the HMO industry — spent $4.7 million to defeat it, while supporters spent just $65,000 to promote its passage.

In other states: Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has signed a bill allowing physician assistants to distribute medication samples.... In Texas, a new law forbids health plans from mandating use of hospitalists.... Tennessee added three health plans to TennCare, the state's beleaguered managed Medicaid program, on July 1. Already, one of the three, Better Health Plans, is threatening to drop out because of reimbursement levels.