Va To Offer DP Benefits

Virginia governor Tim Kaine has instructed his staff to put a policy into effect that would extend health-care benefits to the same-sex partners of state employees, TheWashington Post reports. The policy, however, will take 18 months to implement and could be overturned by Republican Robert McDonnell, who takes over as governor in just a few weeks.

"My first question is, what [is] the cost to the state by expanding those policies?" McDonnell said at a news conference at the state capitol. "I am all for using business -- public and private--to expand health-care coverage. ... But what I don't know is, what is the cost that has to be borne by the state government versus the individual new subscriber?"

But Sara Wilson, director of the Virginia Department of Human Resources Management, said she hopes the policy, which would include benefits to any qualified adults who live in the same house as an insured state employee (including same- and opposite-sex partners, roommates, children, and other family members), wouldn't cost the state any money because employees would be required to pay the entire cost.

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