Catholic Charities Drops DC Spouses from Health Plan

The social services agency Catholic Charities announced Monday that it was changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners in Washington, D.C. Weddings are scheduled to begin shortly for same-sex couples, whose right to marry was recognized by the D.C. council late last year.

The vote has sparked acrimony between officials and the Catholic archdiocese of Washington, with the change in health coverage being the most recent result, according to The Washington Post.

"Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District," the Post reported.

According to the Post, staff members were not given advance notice of the new policy. One expert said that rather than dropping new spouses all together, another option would have been to expand the definition of domestic partner, as the archdiocese of San Francisco did.

Last month Catholic Charities transferred its foster care program to another provider as a result of its objections to the marriage equality law.

The agency receives $22 million from the city for its social service programs.