Until There’s Marriage

Small-business owners who consider offering domestic partner benefits to lesbian and gay employees are faced with extreme challenges. Most insurance companies and policies will not allow employers to offer domestic partner benefits if they insure less than 50 employees. This puts even LGBT business owners in a tough situation and removes the option for providing equal benefits due to industry regulations and policies beyond their control. It’s not fair to same-sex couples and it’s equally unfair to small business owners who are struggling to do the right thing.

However, organizations like the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Chamber of Commerce are beginning to offer health insurance products that feature domestic partner coverage to their members in order to assist both small business owners and same-sex (or even unmarried opposite-sex) couples to gain access to affordable healthcare.

Currently, the Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce offers four Univera Health Care plans that provide such options and are available to small businesses employing one to 50 people.

You do not need to reside in Ken-Ton, nor does your business need to be located within the Ken-Ton borders. Any small business or sole proprietor can join the chamber by submitting a membership application and corresponding dues fee, which is based on employee count. Annual membership starts as low as $120 for a sole proprietor or non-profit organization, $185 for up to 20 employees, and $350 for 20 or more employees. (More details on the four different plans, along with quarterly rates, can be accessed at www.ken-ton.org.) Employees can choose from a high option co-pay plan, a hybrid plan, and two plans that are HSA (health savings account) eligible. There are also three dental plans though MetLife and life insurance and disability insurance that provide domestic partner coverage, too.

“The HSA plans are becoming more popular because of the low premium and triple tax benefits,” says Tracey Lukasik, executive director of the Ken-Ton Chamber. Lukasik says she’s proud to be one of the first to be able to offer this line of products to her membership to help them accommodate domestic partners. “It is a benefit that we have tried to negotiate, through multiple health provider companies, for many years. And now finally, through our partnership with Liazon Benefits, Inc., a local benefits solution firm, and Univera Health Care, domestic partner coverage is now a reality for our members.”

—bryan whitley-grassi