Health insurance for domestic partners

While marriage can offer many legal protections and benefits, it’s not the only way to cover your partner on your health insurance. Domestic partner health insurance is available for many couples. Understanding the rules about health insurance for unmarried couples can help your family make the best decision for you.

A domestic partnership is a committed relationship between two adults who are not married. Domestic partners live together and share finances, and they may be of the same sex or not. If you and your partner are legally considered domestic partners, you may gain certain legal privileges like being on an insurance plan together.¹

Unfortunately, not all domestic partnerships are eligible for shared health insurance plans. You may be able to add your partner if your local government, employer or insurance company allows it. There are several factors that go into whether shared insurance plans may work for you:

The federal government does not recognize domestic partnerships. However, some states and cities recognize these relationships. Others recognize a similar type of relationship called a “civil union.” You can contact the offices of your secretary of state or city clerk to learn about your local regulations and rights.

If you get insurance through your employer, check their rules about dependents and benefits. They may allow you to add your domestic partner to your health insurance, even if you don’t live in a city or state that recognizes these relationships.

If you get your health insurance directly through an insurance provider like UnitedHealthcare, you may be able to add your domestic partner to your plan. Some insurers do not require your local government to recognize your domestic partnership. 

Some organizations may require you to have lived together for a specific amount of time, like six months, before you apply for insurance together. 

Unlike a marriage, deciding to become domestic partners is not a qualifying life event (QLE). A QLE is something that happens in your life that allows you to make changes to your health insurance. This could be losing or gaining employment, having a child, getting married or other specific life events. 

Because new domestic partnerships are not QLEs, you can only add your partner to your health insurance when you’re enrolling. This could be during open enrollment or when you start a new job and sign up for health insurance. 

You can also add your domestic partner if you are enrolling because of a different QLE. For example, if you and your partner have a baby, you can make changes to your insurance. During that process, you can add your domestic partner.

Also, you can apply for a short term or TriTerm Medical health insurance plan at any time during the year, even without a QLE.

Whether your partner’s children can be on your health insurance depends on your location, insurance company and employer. Even if you don’t claim your partner’s children on your taxes, you may be able to cover them on your health insurance plan. Often, if you are able to add your domestic partner, you will be able to cover their children. However, this is not always true.

As with any children, your partner’s children can only be covered by your health insurance if they are under the age of 26. 

As with any health insurance, the cost to add your domestic partner to your health insurance varies widely. If you get your insurance through your employer, the company may cover a portion of the cost. 

If you get insurance through the ACA Marketplace, adding a domestic partner or their children may change your eligibility for a premium tax credit. The federal government determines your eligibility for a premium tax credit based on household size and income. So, whether you are eligible will depend on how much your domestic partner makes and whether you also add children.