THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES... [UPDATED 10/18/2017]

In June, 2015, before their summer recess, the Supreme Court ruled that 'states cannot ban gay marriage.'  This was hailed as a huge victory for the gay community.  President Obama lit the White House with the rainbow in celebration.

Fast-forward to 2017.

Rising healthcare costs, and the failure of Obamacare, are forcing employers to re-evaluate their healthcare coverage for their employees, and more and more of them are 'axing domestic partner benefits in favor of SPOUSAL BENEFITS.'  In other words, companies are requiring gay couples to MARRY before they will cover the non-employee's healthcare.

The unintended consequences of this, or I should say an 'side effect' will be that gays will be subjected to SANCTIONED DIVORCES, same as the straight community, and will involve things like alimony, child CUSTODY and support, division of property, etc.  It will also stop the practice, however small, of changing 'partners' in order to get an ill 'friend' medical coverage for any malady.  (Don't know if this IS an issue, but if it was, it's now OVER with many insurers.

So far, about 12% of companies, including Delta, IBM and Verizon, have nixed 'partner' benefits.***

Expect this practice to increase with insurers, as the cost of coverage grows.

*** From the Kiplinger Letter, 8/25/17

UPDATE:  10/18/2017

Unmarried gay and lesbian couples looking for domestic partner health care benefits may have a shock this open enrollment season, especially if they work for small- or medium-size employers. The 2018 Open Enrollment period runs from November 1, 2017 to December 15, 2017.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/09/07/the-health-insurance-surprise-facing-some-same-sex-couples/#471c995e5930