Home Alone and Making Trouble
Have I mentioned that I'm a bit subversive? It manifests in secret, nasty little plans. Now combine naturally subversive with home alone...
Yesterday I decided to get pissed about the discrimination I face through my health insurance. You see, WA state, who I am employed through, offers same sex partner benefits. Isn't that nice of them. I cover M. under my insurance and I'm very grateful for that opportunity.
Except that it comes at a price.
The federal government will allow your employer not to pay taxes on the money they spend to cover your spouse, but they tax the money spent to cover non-married partners and my employer (the state) passes that cost onto me. They add the cost of their portion of covering M. to my income and I get to pay the taxes. To keep me from getting hit at tax time they take out a large chunk of money out of my paycheck quarterly.
How much does that cost? Oh, a mere $500-600 per quarter. Not a small amount in comparison to how much I get in take-home pay.
Cost of Insuring Legally Married Spouse: $696/year
Cost of Insuring Unrecognized Legally Married Same-sex Spouse: $2696/year (before my tax refund, but I promise I'm not getting $2000 back from the feds)
The federal government is benefiting from systemic discrimination through unfair taxation.
I called a local legal NPO and left a message.
If WA state's supreme court is going to refuse to recognize my legal marriage and force me to live as a legal stranger to M., I think the state should make every effort to make things as equal as possible. Ending this penalty would be a step. They need to absorb the cost of the unfair taxation instead of forcing same-sex couples to take on the burden.
Grrr.
posted by Sacha @ 8:28 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I won't pretend to understand the US healthcare system, but even I can see that's not fair!
Grr indeed!
We face the same problem with L's insurance/employer. With me home and twins, we, on one hand, feel lucky to have insurance - many companies where we are wouldn't dream of offering domestic partner benefits. But, on the other hand, it's infuriating that it's a step below insuring a legal spouse. It's very frustrating. I hope you stir up some crap about it!
Amen mista sista! And I couldn’t agree with you more.
Seriously, though, you are dealing with a much bigger issue than Washington state. In large part, you have our brilliant (note sarcasm) federal government to thank. until the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is amended, overturned, whatever, none of the U.S. states have to acknowledge ANY kind of same sex partnerships (ie civil unions, gay marriages or otherwise) and/or the benefits therein.
thus, the system there in washington state almost certainly wont be turning around any time soon unless they have pressure or backing from the federal government (I’ll be getting out my winter coat and snow boots in anticipation of hell freezing over).
Even states that recognize “civil unions” like vermont and new jersey (pat, pat, pat on their little heads) still admittedly do not offer benefits to same sex partners that are ENTIRELY equal to hetero couples.
So, again, what is this really saying about our country?? I liken the situation to giving a whole, double stuffed oreo cookie to hetero married couples and only one half of the cookie (you know, the side that doesn’t even have the sugary frosting on it) to same sex married couples and those states are applauding themselves because they still gave them a "cookie". wow. Gee. Thanks.
this country’s “value system” (whatever that means) is still so deeply entrenched in this cockamamie, puritanical bullshit that makes the system so much harder to change. the bottom line is this fucking country has so far to go. Sure, baby steps are good but so much more is needed.
Keep fighting the good fight.
Amen. People don't get that while domestic partnership benefits are "nice," they aren't really that great.
The same thing you talked about applies to flex spending accounts/cafeteria plans. It would have been great if Rose could utilize the flex dollars I put aside, as a legal spouse can, since she has so many medical expenses due to her disability.
Maybe M should stay at home indefinitely and not work a paying job. Then you can claim her as a dependent, haha! That's the only way to be able to not have these unfair tax things. Sad but true. At least we can utilize the adoption tax credit next year. Whoo fucking hoo.
I'm actually going to change M. to my dependent so I can avoid the ding in March. Hopefully it will work. We'll change her back when she gets a job.
My question is what legal action can be taken. Until the feds change DOMA, I think my state should absorb the cost, but how does one wee lesbian go about working toward that? Hmmm?
hey again -
you can start here:
http://www.dontamend.com/
don't forget to sign the petition. there may also be resources on that site that can direct you to the proper vehicles in washington state.
good luck!
Yeah, this annoys me too. It's a negligible amount in our case, but how petty...
Amen! If you actually get somewhere can you attack Georgia next? : )
I am waiting to see how this plays out for us next year. We've always had separate insurance, but for now I'm on Jen's. So we'll see what happens next year at tax time. Grrr. I hate everything.
I know it's no consolation, but we pay $600 a month for insurance and we're a straight married couple. Screw da'man. The only way I could stick it to 'em was to order my 8k worth of IVF meds on December 29th before the policy expired. Heh.
You go girl on your healthcare crusade. Everything should be equal. Being a same sex couple should have nothing to do with it. *phhtp*
ps- the nursery is beautiful!!!
We got hit, hard like that when I was on S's insurance. I think we take home over $280 a month now that I'm on my companies plan. Fair indeed.
Did you ever read my post (it's like over a year old) on why queers shouldn't pay taxes? Yeah. I was/am angry too. Way to go.
i just had a drag out with the benefits people at my work over this because the wife is covered until my policy. you would think that in mass. and at a law school it would be different, but no. all my employer could say was basically yeah we agree its a sh*t system but until the feds change your stuck.
grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
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