Blue Cross Agrees To Cover Gay Couples

[ccharles000]

(Buffalo, New York) Blue Cross & Blue Shield settled a lawsuit Monday by a married lesbian couple that the insurer previously refused to cover.

Kornowicz, a school psychologist for the Cheektowaga Central School district, applied to the school board to provide health coverage for her spouse Higgins, after a Rochester court ruled in a similar case that New York State must recognize valid out-of-state marriages of lesbian and gay couples. The state’s highest court upheld the ruling.

The school district approved, but its insurer, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Western New York, denied the coverage.

The couple was represented by the New York Civil Liberties Union. In its court filing, the NYCLU noted both the Rochester ruling and a directive issued last month by Gov. David Paterson instructing state agencies - including those governing insurance and health care - to immediately change policies and regulations to recognize gay marriages performed in areas where they are legal.

http://www.365gay.com/news/072808-blue-cross-gay-couples/

[Zuiderelle]

1. Wooohoooo! That's BIG news!

It's for insurance and other such benefits that we are fighting so hard for equality. This is a BIG ONE for civil rights!

:bounce:

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. An excellent advance

Marriage is marriage. Since they extend coverage to married spouses, they must do so to ALL legally married spouses.

Keep in mind, this ruling does NOT apply to civil unions, domestic partnerships and other forms of Jim Crow. Folks in such relationships can still be deprived of insurance coverage.

[DarkTirade]

3. One more reason I'm glad I'm outta Florida and back in this state.

:)