The Advocate Covers House Health Bill
July 16, 2009
As we reported earlier today, the House version of health care reform contains some LGBT specific provisions. Kerry Eleveld of the Advocate looks specifically at the taxation of domestic partner health benefits:
Under the guidelines authored by Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington, enrolling a same-sex partner, a partner’s dependent children, or an employee’s adult children in employer-based benefits would carry no extra tax penalties. Supporters of the change hope that more medium to small businesses would offer the benefits if the complexities and additional tax burdens were eliminated. “The whole premise behind domestic-partner benefits is equal pay for equal work and this will truly bring 100% equity in terms of taxation,” said David Smith, vice president of the Human Rights Campaign. Though the language was not included in Wednesday’s version of the health care legislation, revisions were made to the re-write presented for consideration Thursday in the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy.
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