The Nevada state legislature overwhelmingly passed a sweeping domestic partner bill in 2009, overcoming a veto from the governor. Nevada's bill provides one of the country's most comprehensive packages of partner rights to couples of any sex or gender, falling short only when compared to California, Oregon and Washington. Unfortunately, Nevada's bill does not provide much help to partners seeking health coverage.
Employee Benefits
Nevada's law does not require employers who offer health insurance to employees' spouses to also offer plans to employees' domestic partners. The state's website claims that the law provides ample protection by allowing employers to offer benefits voluntarily, but as only one state ever banned voluntary benefits, the generosity of the law could be disputed. The law firm Holland and Hart ventures that a legal challenge to require employers to provide domestic partner coverage could arise, considering that the bill claims to usher in equal treatment, yet does not stop discrimination against domestic partners in the area of employer-provided health care.
Private Policies
Private policies must offer joint plans to domestic partners, but the law does not require the plans to be identical in coverage or cost to those offered to married spouses. Regardless of state laws, domestic partners cannot deduct the cost of a partner's policy from federal taxes.
COBRA
COBRA, the coverage program that allows employees to continue health coverage from a past employer after being laid off, does not accept the domestic partners of former employees, though it accepts spouses. Regardless of state law, the federal government runs the program and does not recognize domestic partnerships.
State Employees
Nevada expanded its employee health program to the domestic partners of state employees in 2008. Registered domestic partners of any sex or gender and their children can claim health insurance from the state if the other partner works as a state employee.
Tags: domestic partners, Benefits Nevada, does require, domestic partner, domestic partners state
