Health Insurance For Child In Lesbian Relationship Please Help

[Lesbian_Parent]

I have been in a lesbian relationship for 6 years and me and my partner each have a child from a previous relationship. My partner does not have health insurance currently and I would like to put her 10 year old daughter on my insurance. I have read a little about Co-Parent Agreements and I want to know if this would be sufficient enough to put her child on my insurance? Would this agreement be legally binding in a court of law and for my insurance company (United Health Care)? If this Agreement is not sufficient please advice the proper steps I would need to take to put her daughter on my health insurance. If you have any sample legal forms that I can use please forward them to me. Adoption is not an option for us but I would appreciate any advice given. Thank you.

 

[Lesbian_Parent]

Desperately need some guidance, any help appreciated.

 

[PILawGirl]

Read through the policy language for your insurance. Does your employer acknowledge domestic partnerships? What state are you in?

For example, I am offered health insurance coverage through my employer. But, it is more cost effective to have all of us on my boyfriends coverage. We are a straight couple but his company recognizes domestic partnerships and covers the partner and their children. CA generally does not recognize domestic partnerships for straight couples our age but the City of West Hollywood started a program where you can register through them and have the partnership on record. They sent a certificate, we sent it to his employer, now I am on his health insurance as well as my 4-year old son from my first marriage.

 

[Lesbian_Parent]

My health insurance does not provide insurance for domestic partners, I asked my human resource dept what could I do and they said the insurance company required guardianship papers. I would rather have a co-parenting agreement or something like it. Any suggestions on co-parenting agreements or the simplest way to draw up joint guardianship because I'm not trying to strip away my partners parental rights.

 

[cbg]

Just because you would prefer co-parenting does not mean your insurance company is bound to agree to it. If they say you need guardianship in order to cover her, then you need guardianship in order to cover her.