Domestic Partner Coverage
(same-sex only)

Effective January 1, 2006, Montgomery College changed the health, dental, and vision contracts currently in effect with CIGNA HealthCare, Kaiser Permanente, and VSP to include as eligible dependents same-sex domestic partners and their eligible dependents.
 
• To establish an eligible same-sex domestic partnership, an employee and the partner must satisfy all of the following requirements:
• be the same sex;
• share a close personal relationship and be responsible for each other’s welfare;
• be at least 18 years old;
• have voluntarily consented to the relationship, without fraud or duress;
• not be married to, or in a domestic partnership with, any other person;
• not be related by blood or affinity in a way that would disqualify them from marriage under State law if the employee and partner were opposite sexes;
• be legally competent to contract; and
• share sufficient financial and legal obligations (described below under “To Enroll” section).

The Internal Revenue Service regulations require different tax treatment for group insurance costs associated with domestic partner coverage in cases where the partner does not quality as a tax dependent under the IRS Code (in determining the tax effect of domestic partner coverage, the College will assume that neither the domestic partner nor the partner’s eligible dependent qualify as tax dependents, unless they are able to provide us documentation to the contrary). The cost difference between single coverage and family coverage will be an after-tax deduction, whereas the deduction amount for single coverage will be pre-tax.

• To enroll or add a same-sex domestic partner and your eligible dependents, you must submit the following:
• Montgomery College Group Insurance Enrollment Form
• Enrollment forms for:
• CIGNA POS
• Kaiser Permanente HMO
• Cigna Dental Care Enrollment Form
• If electing the CIGNA PPO medical or Cigna Dental PPO plans, no additional forms are required.
• Affidavit for Same-Sex Domestic Partnership (signed in the presence of a notary public by both the employee and his or her partner under penalty of perjury declaring that they satisfy the requirements of domestic partnership)
• Evidence that the employee and his or her partner share items described in at least two (2) of the following (please attach to affidavit):
• A joint housing lease, mortgage, or deed;
• joint ownership of a motor vehicle;
• a joint checking or savings account;
• designation of the partner as a primary beneficiary of the employee’s life insurance, retirement benefits, or residuary estate under a will; or
• designation of the partner as holding durable power of attorney for health care decisions regarding the employee.