Legal Question in Insurance Law in Pennsylvania

Health Insurance

My "significant other" and I have owned a home together for the past 9 years. Both of our names are on the house,insurance,auto insurance,power,phone,property taxes etc. We share all expenses for the necessities of life.She applied to the school district she works in to have me put on her health insurance policy. We were denied because I am not a spouse or dependant. We are "more married" than all of our friends. We are both divorced and don't want to get married. This practice seems to be discriminatory. Please Help!


Asked on 4/16/99, 10:51 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William Marvin Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C.

Re: Health Insurance

Unless health insurers should be required to insure all people who share a household, regardless of their relationship, they must "discriminate" at some point. Discrimination is illegal only when based on a "suspect" classification, like race, or totally irrational.

I don't know of any legal authority suggesting that marriage isn't a reasonable basis to limit family medical coverage.

You have a choice of two remedies: 1) Organize and lobby your local government for a domestic partner provision, or 2) get married.

Please understand that I am describing the status quo, not advocating.

William Marvin

Law Offices of William D. Marvin

947 Old York Road


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Answered on 4/20/99, 9:31 am


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