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Assembly Bill 25, Domestic Partner Coverage
Summary
Requires carriers to offer domestic partner (DP) coverage to employer groups under the same terms and conditions as coverage provided to dependents of the employee. The law also defines DPs for the purposes of AB25 within the context of the existing state registry for DPs, as described
in the Family Code section 297.
The law may not be construed to expand the requirements of federal law in regard to COBRA, thus COBRA does not necessarily afford DPs continuation rights.
Compliance
* DPs may be covered today, either in a limited fashion or as any other dependent with underwriting approval
* The insurance company must offer DP coverage (as described above) to the group
* The group can accept it or not, at its discretion
* Effective January 1,2002