Profoundly, it seems. The decisions to uphold same-sex marriage are just coming out. Since lots of people get health insurance through their spouses, the impact will be huge. Here is New England, where same-sex marriage is legal, HR offices for federal agencies should expect a spurt in family coverage.
Kaiser Health News posted a what-if story on DOMA in April:
According to a report published by two think tanks, the Center for American
Progress and the Williams Institute, which conducts
research on gender identity and sexual orientation, an employee who buys health insurance for a domestic partner of the same or opposite sex pays $1,069 more a year in federal taxes, on average, than a worker in a heterosexual marriage would pay for the same coverage.
Nine states and the District of Columbia currently permit same-sex mar
riage, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association filed a brief in the DOMA case.
BHN looked at gay health issues during the 2009 gay pride events in Boston.
